Toronto & Ottawa, ON – It’s affordable, it’s accessible and, most of all, it’s fun.
It’s Six-A-Side youth football, and thanks to a new partnership between the Canadian Football League and Football Canada, it may be coming to a park near you.
“Starting this Spring, we’re working with Football Canada’s grass roots organizations in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to promote Six-A-Side football, and we hope to expand to other provinces in the future, because it’s a great thing to do for our kids and for our game,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.
“Our traditional game, featuring a dozen players aside, has stood the test of time for well over a century, and will continue to be our signature. But promoting Six-A-Side football for youth has the potential to increase participation in our game by making it easier for communities to field a team.”
With the demand for youth football programs growing across Canada, it’s increasingly important that communities can choose an option that works for them and their young people, said Richard Munro, Chief Executive Officer of Football Canada.
“With rosters of 16 to 25 players, creating a Six-A-Side team may not be as daunting when it comes to costs, the number of coaches and officials needed, and travel expenses, so it’s a wonderful way to expand our game. And it’s also an excellent way of developing players, because it offers every player the chance to carry the ball, make the tackle, and get one-on-one coaching.”
The CFL-Football Canada Six-A-Side initiative is aimed at youth in Grades 7 and 8, in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto and Hamilton, with one league planned for each city. Play is scheduled to begin this Spring and culminate July 1st, which marks Canada Day and the first day of the CFL regular season.
“This a tremendous way to introduce kids to the game of tackle football, because the emphasis is on fundamentals and fun, players are not relegated to any one position, and everyone touches the ball,” said Kevin McDonald, Director of Football Operations for the CFL.
“Our league is thrilled to be participating with the Blue Bombers, Roughriders, Argonauts and Tiger-Cats’ players and coaches making appearances and helping out.
“Some of the kids playing Six-A-Side this Spring might one day star in the Grey Cup game. But the most important thing, from our point of view, is this has the potential to get more kids off the couch and onto the field, which can be a fun and important part of growing up.”
Several studies show that kids who are physically active have a much better chance at success, in school and in developing a healthy lifestyle, said Rick Sowieta, High Performance Director of Football Canada.
“Six-A-Side puts more emphasis on skill development and participation, and less on strategy and schemes. So it can help promote cognitive development and self-esteem at a critical point in a young teen’s life,” he said.
The Six-A-Side program is being delivered through Football Canada’s member organizations, Football Saskatchewan in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Football Manitoba in Winnipeg, and the Ontario Football Alliance in Hamilton and Brampton. For more information, you can visit the amateur football section of CFL.ca or www.footballcanada.com