Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
Editor’s Note: Prince Albert Minor Football announced a new start date on May 1. Spring 6-a-side tackle football will start on May 9 for Pee Wee (Grade 5 and 6) and Bantam (Grade 7 and 8) age groups.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders aren’t the only ones that will be taking to the gridiron in May.
The Prince Albert Minor Football Association also has a number of players eagerly waiting to get in some reps with the pigskin.
And, if the PAMFA president had his way those players would already be out honing their skills.
“It’s pretty frustrating,” admits Taras Kachkowski when acknowledging the program’s start dates are being pushed back at least a week due to the extended winter. “Football doesn’t necessarily mean you are always playing in ideal conditions, but I respect the city for wanting to keep us off the fields until they are ready.”
When the green light is finally given there will be two different programs given to interested players. Both will feature six players on each side with an emphasis being placed on introducing skill development.
Little Tykes is for players in Grades 1-4 and there will be no contact allowed during this program. The sessions, which will run for 45 minutes every Saturday morning at the Wendell Whitter Field next to the Crescent Heights Community Club, will provide instruction in catching and running along with other non-contact plays.
The Tackle Program, which will be for players in Grades 5-8 – pee wee and bantam-aged players – will include tackling skills along with other skill development activities. This group will take to the field on Monday and Wednesday for practise sessions while Thursday will be dedicated to games so that participants can put into motion the skills they have been shown.
The plan is to run these programs for four or five weeks with a jamboree at the end of May scheduled to bring in teams from the surrounding area and see how everyone is progressing with their development.
“We’re still looking for players,” says Kachkowski. “Maybe one blessing in starting late is it is giving people time to decide if this is something for them.”
“We provide all the equipment although there is an equipment deposit required which is refunded when all equipment is returned,” adds Kachkowski. “Football is a lot more affordable sport than people realize.”
These spring camps are a precursor for the busy fall schedule that features the River Riders compete in the pee wee and bantam divisions of the Saskatoon Kinsmen Football League.
Camps for those clubs are held in mid-August with four workouts a week taking place to prepare for the regular season that commences right after Labour Day. The pee wee River Riders play a nine-aside game while the bantam River Riders are full-scale 12-man sides.
Each team plays a total of six games, three at home and three on the road, with playoffs in early October concluding the season.
“Football is a positive experience for the kids,” says Kachkowski. “Not everyone moves up the ranks, but beyond sport it is the life lessons you learn.”
Costs for the various programs are minimal. It is just $50 for the Little Tykes sessions and $150 for the Tackle Program while the fall River Riders programs are $250. There is also an Atom program in the fall for players in Grades 4-5 where those participants are first introduced to the
safe methods of tackling. The fee for that program is $150. Participants must remember there is a deposit required for the equipment, but it will be returned if all equipment is turned back in.
Anyone interested in joining the River Riders are encouraged to register on-line at pariverriders.com while anyone who has lingering questions about the minor football programs, including the pair of spring activities set to get underway as soon as they are permitted, they can touch base with Kachkowski at river.riders.coach@gmail.com. He can also be reached at 306-960-8036.
The first order of business is an equipment-fitting session and that will be held this Sunday from 5-7 p.m. at the Crescent Heights Community Club. Barring any further weather delays the real fun begins the next day.
