A seed that was planted years ago for young boys and girls in Red Deer has blossomed into a solid base for the sport of football at many levels.
The Peewee program has been around for a dozen years while the younger Atom setup has seven years on the books and this idea just keeps growing.
“This year we’re seeing a greater turnout for Atom and our Peewee numbers are up too,” said Greg Thompson, president of Red Deer Minor Football. “We’re starting to see the influx of kids coming through the program and staying with the program instead of coming in and then leaving.”
With about 100 players registered for the Atom level there was talk about adding a fifth team but instead the extra players were blended in with the existing four teams.The Steelers and Hornets are still the two Peewee stablemates with about 70 players registered but there is potentially room for more according to Thompson.
“I think there probably could be a third Peewee team but I think we kind of battle with hockey and some other sports. There are some year round sports now so we’re all battling for the same kids. They’re choosing what sports to play and I think that’s great. The more sports the better because it just makes them better athletes.”
The growing numbers is one piece of evidence of a stable program but another would be the skill level of the players as they move through the lower levels and keep progressing.
Thompson says there was a bit of a lull in that area as some Atom players were not continuing on but he feels it’s on the upswing the last couple of years.
“We’ve got six players that are playing actively in the CIS ,” he said about recent grads playing university football who learned their skills in Red Deer. “It’s opening up the kids avenues all around. The midget program (Prairie Fire) sort of ties in with that as well and that’s opening doors and I think the high school is way more competitive than it used to be in this area.”
The Atom players start with a nine on nine setup and each of the four teams are taught a standard offence and defence.
“So there’s no guessing.It’s a matter of doing the work and putting the work in to getting the play off properly,” said Thompson.
The Peewee program is more advanced with 12 man teams, their own offence and defence, special teams and playing full games instead of shortened games like the atoms.
One change for the Atom players is the addition of seven and eight year olds who will suit up with the nine and ten year olds. Thompson says it was a decision made to accommodate the increased interest in the program.
He said initially there was some concern about lowering the age but with the emphasis on instruction at this level the players will learn the proper techniques for tackling and taking a hit.
Another safety measure is having Collegiate Sports Medicine come in and conduct a concussion seminar with the parents of players on each team. The protocol for the league will rest in the hands of the well trained employees of Collegiate, said Thompson.
“If they diagnose a kid with a concussion, until they give them the green light to go back to play, they don’t play.”
The equipment is another advancement over the years and players within the Red Deer system are getting some of the finest but it can only protect players to a point. Thompson says it once again comes down to coaches instructing the players on the proper and safe way to tackle and that should go a long ways to minimizing injuries that can and will happen in football.
Both the Atom and Peewee Leagues get going this weekend with a full slate of games.
