Grant Erickson admits he may be a little biased. But, in his view, football is the greatest team sport in the world.
Erickson, a coach and member of the Prince George Minor Football Association executive, was on hand Saturday for a free PGMFA skills camp at cole Lac des Bois. The camp attracted close to 50 youngsters, all eager to get a taste of the game. And, standing in the middle of all the action with his whistle at the ready, Erickson didn't need much prompting to talk about the virtues of the sport he loves.
"It's an inclusive sport, it's a sport that allows the best athletes to succeed," he said. "That being said, whatever body type you are, there's a spot for you on a football team. You can make a contribution somehow. If you're a smaller, faster kid, then you can play the outside skill positions. Or if you're a bigger, more aggressive kid, then you can usually play inside. Tall, fast, long, short, you can play. And there's such great camaraderie too."
The PGMFA has three divisions of play -- atom (ages 7-9), peewee (ages 10-11) and junior bantam (ages 12-13). Once players reach their second years of junior bantam, they can also suit up in high school football.
One of the attractions of minor football is its affordability. First-year atoms in the PGMFA play for free, the cost for second- and third-year atoms is $50 for the season and peewees and junior bantams pay $195. Helmets, pads, pants and jerseys are all provided by the association.
"There's not too many sports in town where you can pay $50 for registration and it comes with all your equipment," Erickson said.
Last season, the PGMFA had two local atom teams and one from Vanderhoof. This year, it appears there will be enough players to form three local squads and that has Erickson smiling.
"That's step up," he said.
"We've been really trying to get athletes out at that younger age and introduce them to the sport and hopefully they carry it through."
The kids at Saturday's skills camp were certainly enjoying themselves as they were learning the basics of the game. There were grinning faces from one end of the field to the other, especially when the frozen treats came out and everybody got the chance to cool off.
"It's great," said Michael Keryluik, who will coach in the PGMFA's atom division this season. "We're having fun. The kids are tired, we're working them hard, and they're smiling."
The camp ended with a barbecue lunch, provided by Save-On-Foods. Clear Choice Water kept the kids and coaches hydrated.
The season starts Tuesday (6 p.m.) with practices at cole Lac des Bois. Games will kick off in late August.
To register for minor football, contact Melanie Forsythe at 250-649-6765 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Players can also register online at www.pgmfa.com.
