The Alberta Football League has changed over the years and it seems to be for the better. More players from higher level programs are entering a league which used to be viewed as a beer league-plain and simple. I mean players used to have a beer right on the sidelines after a hard fought game. That’s beer league!
Over the last few years though, many AFL teams are looking more like NCAA college teams with all the recruiting of out of province talent.
The Central Alberta Buccaneers are part of this evolution and recently acquired the services of an outstanding young talent in former Concordia Stinger receiver Jamal Henry.
To say Bucs Head Coach Devon Hand is excited would be an understatement.
“First of all he is an exceptional football talent,” said Hand. “Right away he gives us a weapon that we can put on the field and he can really score at any time.”
Henry is a 5’7”, 175 pound bundle of skill from St. Constant, Quebec and Hand says while the football attributes are solid it’s the person which has him even more excited.
Just talking to him on the phone the coach says he got a real good vibe about this young man who is known for helping raise money for many charities in the Montreal area, said Hand.
The Bucs recently were recognized for their charity work in the Lacombe area and that award was a selling point in getting Henry to come west.
“He’s getting married in April and then right after his honeymoon we’re going to get him situated in the community,” he said. “My impression is that he wants to set roots and stay here long term and get involved so that’s huge.”
Henry also brings with him some instant stability in the Bucs locker room as there are players who know of him and look up to him, said Hand.
What remains to be seen is how this out of province recruiting is going to impact a team which has always been a place for local players to continue playing football.
Hand says when he took the reins of the Bucs he was clear about wanting to win a national championship but had no interest in running a rec football team. In order to do get to the level needed it would require recruiting some high level players from out of the province.
Hand says it started back when the Calgary Gators recruited Bishops Gaiters quarterback Jordan Heather who was the Hec Crighton trophy winner in the CIS in 2014.
“When they got that guy and other guys started showing up with the same kind of calibre of talent, that’s when I knew if we were serious about competing we’re not going to be able to get the job done with local product. Now of course you need those guys and they are important to who we are and will always have a spot but realistically if you want to compete with the big guns you’ve got to go out of province.”
The Alberta Football League has become a recruiter’s league. You need to keep pace with other teams who are actively bringing in talent. It’s a football equivalent of an arms race.
The perception of the AFL has long been one of guys showing up on Saturday, playing some football, trying to not get hurt and then off to the local watering hole for a beverage. With the increasing talent level throughout the league Hand says once word gets out fans will understand they are able to see some high calibre players showing what skills they have on a regular basis.
There will still be a spot in the locker room for the local kid to play but Hand says any players with great skills coming out of high school won’t find a spot on the Bucs.
“If you’re good enough to start and contribute on this team then you shouldn’t be here if you’re right out of high school,” he said. “You need to be in the junior program or be at the CIS level. When you’re done with your junior career and you’re done with the CIS and the prospect of being a pro has gone away. That’s when I want you.”
The local guys who are not looking at football as a career move and still love to play the game will always be welcomed, he said.
It seems 2016 will be an interesting and entertaining year for the fans, the Bucs and the AFL as the talent level continues to rise. If you haven’t been to a game yet, this might be a good time to mark one down on the to do list.
