It feels like last week that the province was in the grips of a 40-degree heat wave but the calendar says football season is just around the corner.
Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football was handing out equipment and performing their first workouts of the year over the last week, with bantam, peewee and atom teams getting set for football action.
The Estevan Lions Club Oilers bantam team has players aged 13-15 and is frequently the most seasoned football talent of the three divisions.
“I like a lot of the athletic talent that we have on the team so far,” said Paul Duncan, president of the minor football association and head coach of the Oilers. “We’re always looking for more players. Anybody that’s between 13 and 15, come on out and play some bantam football. It’s going to be a lot of fun this year. We’ve got a lot of competitors. The kids here… are hungry and I think that’s going to work well for us this year.”
Monday was the first night of practice and workouts for the Oilers and numbers were pretty good leading into the day.
“It’s a good starting point,” he said. “We need to get more. There’s no ifs ands or buts about it, we need to get more players. We’ve seen a drop-off at the bantam level whether it’s a specialization of sports going into hockey or playing high school football. There’s a lot that we go up against. If there’s anybody sitting at home looking to be part of a team we’re definitely looking for more people.”
Some talent is returning from last year and looking to improve upon last season.
Duncan said the Century 21 peewee Chargers started their practices last week and the 8-9 year-old Power Dodge atom Cudas are also looking for some more players.
“The peewees are sitting at a pretty good level but no matter what we can always accept more players at any level,” Duncan said.
The Chargers and Oilers start their seasons in Moose Jaw Sept. 1. The Cudas are in Weyburn Sept. 15 to start their season.
“We’re highly optimistic for the season. Hopefully we can get off on the right foot and be prepared for Football Day In Estevan Sept. 22,” Duncan said.
That day will be the first home games of the season for the three minor football teams at Woodlawn Field. The Cudas start at 10 a.m. against the Weyburn Atom Cardinals, the Chargers host the Weyburn peewee Eagles at 11:30 a.m., the Elecs host the Weyburn Eagles at 2 p.m. and the Oilers close it off with a skirmish against the Swift Current bantam Colts at 4:30 p.m.
“It’s the second time we’ve done it and we’re trying to make it more of an event that everyone in the community can come down and show their support for the kids who battle hard for the city of Estevan,” Duncan said.
