• Vancouver Island (Nanaimo) – Sunday, January 29
  
• Northern BC (Prince George) – Saturday, February 4
  
• Lower Mainland (Richmond) – 
  Saturday, February 4 & Saturday, February 11
  
• Okanagan (Kelowna) – Sunday, February 12
  
• Vancouver Island (Victoria) – Sunday, February 19
  
• Fraser Valley (Abbotsford) – 
  Monday, February 20 & Tuesday, February 21

Full information can be found in the PDF document.  Schedule is subject to change. 

The cost to participate in each camp is $10 per player. Please continue to visit www.playfootball.bc.ca or watch The Huddle for up-to-date information.

*FOR ALL PLAYERS ATTENDING A SESSION/TRYOUT*

Please fill out PLAYER INFORMATION section in this form and bring a copy with you to hand in during registration. DO NOT fill out the Player Evaluation – Testing section as that section will be filled in by a coach representing Football BC during your tryout.

Please note our office will be closed from Monday, December 19 until Monday, January 9. If you need to reach us during this time, please email communications@playfootball.bc.ca

Phone messages left during the closure may not be returned until our offices reopen.

Happy Holidays to our entire football family!

Football BC would like to put out a call to coaches interested in being a part of our provincial identification programs as well as our provincial representation programs. 

These programs include:

• Play Football BC
• Prep to be the Best
• Team BC
• Senior Bowl 

Coaches will be utilized to help administer the identification camps through the province, have opportunities to coach at the Team BC mini-camp, coach at the Senior Bowl camp and coach Team BC in the Football Canada Cup. Please click here for more details on the Football BC Development Program. 

Coaches will be selected based on their National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) qualifications, experience coaching related to the specific age groups, and past experiences with provincial and national programs. Every coach will have a proven track record working with fellow coaches and positively impacting the players they have coached. 

The deadline to apply is Saturday, December 31.

If interested, please send your resumes to:

Football BC
#434 – 6540 Hastings St.
Burnaby, BC V5B 4Z4

Resumes can also be submitted by email to: communications@playfootball.bc.ca  

In early 2012, Football BC will once again be travelling throughout British Columbia with our Provincial ID program. We will be hooding evaluation camps in Victoria, Prince George, Kelowna, the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley.

Each location will be hosting a Prep to be the Best camp, a Team BC tryout and a Senior Bowl tryout. The cost per camp/tryout is $10. Dates and specific locations are to be determined. Please continue to visit our website or sign up for The Huddle newsletter for up-to-date information as it becomes available.

For more details on the Provincial ID camps, please see the information sheet here (opens PDF).

The final event of the 2011 amateur football season will go on Sunday at McLeod Stadium when the 12-man provincial champions are crowned in the Pee Wee, Junior Bantam, Bantam and Midget divisions respectively.

Below is a list of all of Sunday’s championship games. All games listed below can be seen live on bcfootball.tv.

Pee Wee Division: North Delta Longhorns (VMFL) vs Abbotsford Falcons Black (VCFL)

The Abbotsford Falcons Black were the class of the VCFL’s Pee Wee Division all year long going a perfect 10-0 but they’ll face their toughest opponent to date in the North Delta Longhorns who lost just one game all year long in their league going 9-1. Kickoff is at 9:30 am PT.

Junior Bantam Division: Kelowna-Mission Lions (VCFL) vs Meadow Ridge Knights (VCFL)

The undefeated Kelowna-Mission Lions will look to cap off a perfect season by taking the Junior Bantam Division crown from the Meadow Ridge Knights, who weren’t too shabby themselves suffering just one loss the entire season.

Both teams come into this game following convincing semifinal victories. The Lions made easy work of the VMFL’s South Delta Rams by a 39-8 score while the Knights easily dispatched of the Victoria Renegades by a 30-10 score. Kickoff is at 11:30 am PT.

Bantam Division: Victoria Spartans (6) vs North Surrey Tigers (1)

It’s a classic tale of David versus Goliath in the Bantam Division Final with the undefeated North Surrey Tigers taking on the Victoria Spartans.

The Tigers ran roughshod over the league finishing tied for first place in the division in the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record. They made easy work of the North Langley Bears in the quarterfinal by taking them out with a 43-6 win then pounded the Langley Mustangs last week in the semifinal by a 59-6 score.

The Spartans had a tougher road to get to the Final after finishing 5-5 in the regular season. They squeaked out a 17-15 win in the quarterfinal over the third-seeded South Delta Rams then got by the fourth-seeded Chilliwack Giants by a 19-6 score in the semifinal.

This game could be much closer than the seeding may suggest. The two teams met once in the regular season back on October 23 with the Tigers just barely squeezing out a 17-14 win over the Spartans.

Kickoff for the game goes at 2 pm PT.

Midget Division: Coquitlam Falcons (2) vs White Rock Titans (1)

There are many who believe a championship final should always involve the two best teams and this year’s Midget Final delivers just that with the top-ranked White Rock Titans going up against the second-ranked Coquitlam Falcons.

The Titans were in a league of their own this season going a perfect 10-0 while out-scoring their opponents by a combined 353-91 while the Falcons weren’t too far behind posting an 8-1-1 record out-scoring their opponents by a combined 235-131.

Both teams cruised through the playoffs with the Titans taking out Victoria Spartans in the quarterfinal by a 24-14 score followed by a 37-8 win over the Nanaimo Redmen in the semifinal while the Falcons dispatched of the Chilliwack Giants by a 42-20 score in the quarterfinal and then shutout the North Delta Longhorns 35-0 in the semifinal.

The Falcons’ only loss this year came at the hands of the Titans in the season-opener for both teams way back on September 4. The Titans took that game by a score of 33-21.

Kickoff for the game goes at 4:30 pm PT.

For more information, please visit the BC Community Football website  or the Vancouver Mainland Football League website.

For the first time since 2008, the BC High School Football Subway Bowl Championships will be held at BC Place with five games on Championship Saturday featuring the Grade 8 Division, the Jr. AA and Jr. AAA Divisions, and the Sr. AA and Sr. AAA Divisions. 

Below is a list of all of Saturday’s championship games. All games listed below can be seen live online at sportscanada.tv . 

Grade 8: Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers vs St. Thomas More Knights 

The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers will be looking to make it three straight Grade 8 championships in a row when they face the St. Thomas More Knights in the first game on championship Saturday. Kickoff is at 8:30 am PT. 

Both teams are coming off convincing semifinal wins with Lord Tweedsmuir blanking Notre Dame 40-0 and St. Thomas More taking out Vancouver College by a 28-12 score. 

These two teams met back on October 18 with the Panthers scoring a 21-6 win over the Knights. 

Jr. AA Varsity: John Barsby Bulldogs vs Mission Roadrunners 

The John Barsby Bulldogs have had to wait a whole year but they’ll finally get a chance at revenge on the Mission Roadrunners, who defeated them last season in the Jr. AA championship game at Empire Field by a score of 33-8. Kickoff is at 10 am PT. 

The two teams are also hoping to set the tone for their respective Senior programs who will meet in the Sr. AA championship later in the day. 

The Bulldogs shellacked the Robert Bateman Timberwolves in their semifinal contest by a score of 41-7 while the Roadrunners just managed to squeak by the Carson Graham Eagles by a 14-13 score. 

Jr. AAA Varsity: Mt. Douglas Rams vs St. Thomas More Knights 

The Mt. Douglas Rams are looking for back-to-back Jr. AAA titles after capturing the crown in their first year in AAA last season over Vancouver College. Standing in their way are the St. Thomas More Knights who are making their third trip in the last four years to the Jr. AAA championships but haven’t won the big prize since 2005. Kickoff is at 12:30 pm PT. 

The Knights made easy work of the Centennial Centaurs in the semifinal putting the boots to them by a 37-6 score while the Rams had their hands full with the Terry Fox Ravens in a 23-18 squeaker. 

The Knights knocked off the Rams in their lone regular season meeting on September 24 by a 20-7 score. 

Sr. AA Varsity: John Barsby Bulldogs vs Mission Roadrunners

The top-two teams in the Sr. AA Division go head-to-head for all the marbles when the top-seeded John Barsby Bulldogs do battle with the second-seeded Mission Roadrunners. Kickoff goes at 3 pm PT. 

There doesn’t really look to be any team in the entire division capable of stopping the defending champion Bulldogs who, following last week’s 54-6 win over the Vernon Panthers, have now stretched their win streak to 23 games dating back to 2009. The Roadrunners also had an impressive semifinal win taking out the Ballenas Whalers by a 34-14 score and are making their first-ever Subway Bowl Sr. AA championship final appearance. 

The Bulldogs took out the Mission Roadrunners in last year’s semifinal by a 28-0 score. That was the last loss the Roadrunners suffered to a BC-based team.

Sr. AAA Varsity: Mt. Douglas Rams vs W.J. Mouat Hawks 

The Mt. Douglas Rams are technically the underdogs coming into their first-ever Subway Bowl Sr. AAA championship game but the W.J. Mouat Hawks know not to take them lightly especially after the way the Rams took out the top-ranked St. Thomas More Knights last week in the semifinal. Kickoff for the final high school game of the year goes at 7 pm PT. 

The fourth-ranked Rams obliterated the favoured Knights by a 54-7 in what head coach Mark Townsend called the “best football Mt. Douglas has ever played in the history of Mt. Douglas football.” Their task won’t get easier though as they’ll have to go up one against of the best teams in BC High School Football over the past several years in the Denis Kelly’s W.J. Mouat Hawks. 

The Hawks had a nail-biter in their semifinal affair against the defending champions from Vancouver College but, in the end, the difference was a missed convert by the Fighting Irish that allowed the Hawks to squeak through to the Final with a 14-13 win. This is the Hawks’ third trip to the Final in the last four years but they’ve come up short in each of their last two attempts. Their last Subway Bowl championship came in 2005 when they beat Vancouver College. 

The Hawks defeated the Rams in a wild shootout affair in the season opener for both teams back on September 9 by a score of 53-47. 

This game can be heard live on THE TEAM 1410 Sports Radio and can also be seen on tape-delay on Rogers Sportsnet One at 8:30 pm PT. Visit sportsnet.ca/one to find the channel for your local cable or satellite provider. 

Previously Completed 2011 Championships:

In the Grade 8 Tier II Final, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the H.D. Stafford Skyhawks by a score of 6-0 on Saturday, November 26 at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. 

In the Tier II Varsity Final, the Nanaimo Islanders defeated the Howe Sound Sounders for the “Bob Ackles Cup” by a score of 28-21 on Friday, November 25 at Burnaby Lakes. 

For more information, please visit the BC High School Football website.

Football BC has launched a new page with details on our involvement with the 2011 Grey Cup Festival. This page will also have up-to-date news, information and stories posted all week long on the Vanier Cup and the Grey Cup.

You can visit this page here.

The nomination form for the 2011 Coach of the Year awards is now available online here

As per usual, there will be two awards you can nominate your respective coaches for: The Community Coach of the Year Award (open to a coach of a Community team or BC Junior team) and the Scholastic Coach of the Year Award (open to a coach of a BC High School team or University team). 

The award is open to any coach responsible for coaching a football team (not limited to only head coaches) who has resided or whose primary coaching responsibility was in BC during the 2011 calendar year. Nominees will be considered on the basis of coaching amateur performance only. The full list of criteria can be found on the nomination form. 

The deadline to nominate a coach is Friday, December 9, 2011. 

The winner will be honoured at the 2012 Orange Helmet Awards banquet. The date and location of the 2012 Orange Helmet Awards banquet will be announced at a later time.

The NFL Youth Coach of the Year award is back for its 13th year. This award is designed to recognize community or high school level coaches across Canada who dedicate themselves to the development of young players both on and off the field. Any Canadian can nominate a coach for recognition.

Nominations can be submitted at www.NFLcoachoftheyear.ca. Nominators are asked to submit a short essay recognizing the positive impact the high school, community, or varsity-level coach has on young players. Nominators are asked to consider how the coach teaches respect, safety, motivation, leadership and appreciation for the game of football when drafting their nominations.

The deadline for submissions is Monday, November 7, 2011. The winners and runner-ups will be announced on Monday, November 17, 2011.

$5,000 of new football equipment will be donated to the winning coach’s program. Two runner-up programs will each receive $2,000 in equipment.

The winning coach will also win a trip to Vancouver as a guest of the NFL at this year’s Vanier Cup celebrations, and will be honoured at the CIS coaches breakfast on Friday, November 24, 2011, and attend the Vanier Cup, scheduled to be played the following day.

Football BC has partnered with the Vanier Cup Championship to present a unique fundraising initiative that is exclusive to Football BC teams, players, family and friends. 

This program provides Football BC member teams with the opportunity to sell discounted tickets to the 47th Vanier Cup (November 25 at BC Place) with a portion of the profits directly going back to your club. 

Clubs have the opportunity to sell Blue zone tickets normally priced at $40.85 at a discounted rate of $25 (all taxes and fees included) with $8 from each ticket sold paid directly to the club. A minimum group purchase of 20 tickets for each interested club is required. 

For more information and for the ticket request form, please download the PDF pamphlet.

Teams should designate a Team Captain to coordinate the program. Completed orders with payment must be submitted to your team captain by November 10, 2011.

Football BC would like to put out a call to coaches interested in being a part of our provincial identification programs as well as our provincial representation programs.

These programs include:

• Play Football BC
• Prep to be the Best
• Team BC
• Senior Bowl

Coaches will be utilized to help administer the identification camps through the province, have opportunities to coach at the Team BC mini-camp, coach at the Senior Bowl camp and coach Team BC in the Football Canada Cup. Please click here [attached] for more details on the Football BC Development Program.

Coaches will be selected based on their National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) qualifications, experience coaching related to the specific age groups, and past experiences with provincial and national programs. Every coach will have a proven track record working with fellow coaches and positively impacting the players they have coached.

If interested, please send your resumes to:

Football BC
#434 – 6540 Hastings St.
Burnaby, BC V5B 4Z4

Resumes can also be submitted by email to: communications@playfootball.bc.ca 

Football Canada announces changes/additions to 2011 Tackle Rule Book

Football Canada has announced several rule clarifications and corrections, approved by the Tackle Rules Committee, for immediate implementation. These changes will be added to the next printed edition of the Rule Book due in April / May 2012. 

To see a full list of these clarifications and corrections, please click here.

On Thursday, July 28, the Provincial Government announced the schedule of Community Forums that will be part of the Community Gaming Grant Review process led by Mr. Skip Triplett. There will be 14 Community Forums during August / September. It is critically important that representatives from the numerous sport clubs in those communities attend and make their voices heard. The Community Forum information can be found here. 

Football BC encourages all our members to get engaged in this process and our office is available to assist any club or association in preparing their presentation for the forum. If you require assistance, please contact Football BC Executive Director Patrick Waslen at patwaslen[at]aol.com. 

Please click here to see an Excel file that contains the sport sector Community Gaming Grants distributed in 2010-11. Please note that this is last year’s funding and does not include the funds that have just recently been issued.

The Coquitlam Falcons, representing British Columbia, have won the gold medal at the Flag Football 2011 Canadian National Championships in the male under-16 division after scoring a 48-12 victory over Team Alberta on Monday in the gold medal game held at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

The U-16 Falcons finished the tournament undefeated posting an overall record of six wins and no losses while out-scoring their opponents 269-43. The U-16 Falcons were led by coaches Paul Lancaster, Eddie Ferg and Steve Marshall, along with team manager Jayne Ogundehinde. The members of the U-16 Falcons are Chase Malcolm, Malcolm Lee, Tristan Sands, KJ Johnson, Kevin Marshall, Jalen Jana and Shane Noel.

The following NCCP coaches’ courses are coming up in July 2011:

NCCP Community Initiation – Football (for coaching 6-12 year olds)

Single day session takes place July 22 from 6 to 10 pm at McLeod Stadium in Langley

Register here  

Cost: $85 per coach

Note: To take this course, you must also complete the online component here. The online component costs $39.

NCCP Introduction to Competition – Football (for coaching 13-18 year olds)

Two day session takes place July 22 (6 to 10 pm) and July 23 (9 am to 4 pm) at McLeod Stadium in Langley

Register here

Cost: $110 per coach

For more information, please contact Dino Geremia at dinogeremia@shaw.ca. 

Please click here for a summary of the BCCFA’s 4th annual Provincial Flag Tournament courtesy of Doug Pauls, BCCFA Director of Spring Flag Football.

The Team BC coaching staff has released its official 40-player roster for the under-18 provincial team to compete at the Football Canada Cup. To download the roster of players who will be headed to Lethbridge, click here.

For the players who have been selected to the team, please click here to download the checklist of tasks to accomplish by Friday, June 24, 2011.

Here are the details for players attending the Team BC competitive scrimmage on Friday, June 10:

Register for the game by paying/confirming your $1000 refundable deposit here. Players who are named to the final 40-player roster will need to pay the balance of the participation fee ($900) here no later than Monday, June 20. Players who are not selected for Team BC will have their $1000 deposit returned.

Location: McLeod Stadium

Address: 58 Ave and 214A Street, Langley, BC (Google map)

Access to locker room and taping begins: 4:00 pm PT

All players report: 4:45 pm PT

Competitive Scrimmage: 5:15 pm to 7:15 pm PT

Items to bring for players to the scrimmage:

• Your full football gear
  
  
• A photocopy of your picture ID with your birth date listed (e.g. driver's license, passport, birth certificate, etc.)
  
  
• Your $1000 deposit cheque (if you choose not to do the pay online option)
  

Other tasks to be completed by players prior to June 10:

• Complete the mandatory True Sport Clean 101 e-learning course here. Login information is provided in the Player Checklist package.
  
  
• Submit your bio information to Football BC for Electronic Media Guide Project. Information on what to send is provided in the Player Checklist package.
  
  
  

Registration is open for the 2011 Football BC Conference to be held at Douglas College in New Westminster on May 27-28, 2011.

This year's confirmed presenters include:

• Ron Smeltzer, Cimarron-Memorial High School
  (Las Vegas, NV)
  
• Chris Jewell, Southwestern College Jaguars
  (Chula Vista, CA)
  
• Mike Benevides, BC Lions
  
• Jacques Chapdelaine, BC Lions
  
• Mike Walker, Saskatchewan Roughriders
  
• Dave Johnson, SFU
  
• Jerome Erdman, UBC
  
• Paul Orazietti, UBC
  
• Steven J. Indig, Sport Law and Strategy Group
  
• George Oswald, Notre Dame Jugglers (BCSSFA)
  
• Greg Barton, Barton Football Academy
  
• Rick Anderson, Digital Sports Video
  
• Don Sweet, BC Lions kicking consultant and former CFLer
  
• Ryan Leslie, New Westminster Hyack Football 
  and NCCP Learning Facilitator

Check out all the confirmed speakers' bios now online here.

The price of the two-day conference is just $85 for Football BC members ($110 for non Football BC members) or $400 for a team (maximum of eight members). The price includes the two-day conference plus a Saturday Continental Breakfast and Saturday Lunch in the Exhibitors Hall.

*Note: Football BC members are defined as individuals who are part of a club or team that belongs to either the BC Community Football Association (BCCFA), BC Secondary Schools Football Association (BCSSFA), or the BCFC (BC Junior Football) are you are involved directly with SFU Clan Football, UBC Thunderbirds Football, or the BC Football Officials Association.

To register as an individual, click here.

To register a team, click here.

Click here to download the Conference brochure.

Please also visit our 2011 Football BC Conference page.  

For information on how to be an Exhibitor at this year's 2011 Football BC Conference, download the Sponsors & Exhibitors Package.

For out-of-town individuals coming to the Conference, Football BC has arranged for a special rate with the Sandman Suites Guildford-Surrey. You can book a King Suite for $119 (plus taxes) per night or a Penthouse Suite for $179 (plus taxes) per night.

For reservations, please call 604-582-7263 or 1-800-726-3626 and quote group #80952.

For more information, please contact Conference Coordinator and Football BC Technical Director Dino Geremia at dinogeremia@shaw.ca

The next SportMedBC Football Specific First Aid course will be held on Sunday, May 29 at Douglas College in New Westminster. 

A new session has also been added to the schedule for Saturday, June 11 at Rick Hansen Secondary School in Abbotsford. 

Registration for all upcoming courses is now available online

The First Aid course is open to all Football BC members and will cover topics such as:

• Injury prevention
  
• Life Threatening Injuries
  
• Injury Assessment & Management
  
• And more!

Download the course curriculum here.

The remaining schedule of upcoming Football BC medical seminars is as follows:

May 29: LOWER MAINLAND/VALLEY – 
Douglas College, New Westminster

JUNE 11: LOWER MAINLAND/VALLEY – Rick Hansen Secondary School, Abbotsford *NEW*

Date TBD: Prince George

The cost to register is $10. Register online at: 
http://www.playfootball.bc.ca/registration_medicalseminars_2011.php

You will receive an email a couple of days prior to start of your session with schedule details for your session. Please plan accordingly as each session is expected to run through the morning and into the early evening.

Football Canada is seeking feedback on several proposed rule modifications for youth football. All feedback should be sent to Football BC Technical Director Dino Geremia at dinogeremia@shaw.ca who will then forward it to Football Canada. 

We ask that all feedback be returned by Friday, August 26, 2011 to allow for sufficient time for our office to review all submissions and prepare to submit them before the Football Canada deadline (September 1, 2011). 

To read a list of the proposed rule changes, please click here.

Click here to download the Feedback Form 

Support the BC Community Football Association with their three big championship events of the football season – the Flag championship (June), 9-man championship (November) and 12-man championship (December) – by purchasing an ad in this year’s championship program.

For one low price, your ad will appear in the program for all three events. The program is distributed free-of-charge to all the participants and the fans in attendance. Approximately 3,000 total programs will be produced for the 2011 championship events.

Ad prices are as follows:

The deadline to submit artwork for the Flag Football Championship program is Monday, May 30, 2011. Full artwork details and information on how to purchase an ad can be found in the Advertisers’ Package (MS Word Doc).

Football BC has released a list of 132 players who have been extended an invitation to the tryout mini-camp to be held over the Victoria Day Long Weekend (May 21-23) at Simon Fraser University.

Please click here to view the list of players.

The final roster of 40 players for the 2011 Team BC will be selected from the list of 132 following the mini-camp. More details on the mini-camp will be announced at a later time. All players whose name appears on the list should be expecting an email from Football BC shortly. 

For more on Team BC and the 2011 Football Canada Cup, please visit our dedicated Team BC page.

The 2011 Senior Bowl is now in the books with Team West emerging victorious this year with a 21-14 win over Team East this past Saturday at Empire Field. 

Read 2011 Senior Bowl head coach Dino Geremia’s Senior Bowl camp wrap-up now on our Senior Bowl page.

Football BC’s annual Senior Bowl game will take place this Saturday, March 26 at Empire Field – home of the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm. 

Admission to the Senior Bowl game is free so we hope you will join us to watch some of the top graduating amateur football players in the province on display.

A complete list of players taking part in this year’s game can be found on our Senior Bowl page.

Please visit our Senior Bowl event page on Facebook and let us know if you’re planning to attend this year’s game!

Testing results from the Prep to be the Best camps, Team BC tryouts and Senior Bowl tryouts held in various locations across British Columbia in late January and throughout February are now available. Each results report is sorted by position. You can download the reports using the links below (opens new PDF).

• Prep to be the Best test results
  
• Team BC tryouts test results
  
• Senior Bowl tryouts test results

Football BC would like to thank all the players who attended a Prep to be the Best camp, Team BC tryout or Senior Bowl tryout over the last month. We would also like to thank all the coaches, volunteers and our host schools for making the camps possible. 

All the testing results from the tryouts/camps will be posted on our website very shortly. 

For players who tried out for Team BC, the coaching staff will extend invitations to approximately 100-120 players to attend a training camp during the May long weekend as the next step to the tryout process for the 2011 Football Canada Cup tournament. This list will be announced on our website as soon as it becomes available. 

For players who tried out for Senior Bowl camp, the first list of tryout players extended invitations to the camp is available now on our Senior Bowl page. If your name appears on this list, you should have received an email from Football BC with instructions on how to RSVP your spot. If you have yet to receive an email, please contact communications[at]playfootball.bc.ca immediately. There will be more names posted shortly so please continue to visit the website.

Are you interested in getting your message out to some of the most talented football players in the province of BC? Take out an ad in this year’s Senior Bowl program. 

There will be 500 programs produced and distributed free-of-charge to the camp participants as well as the fans attending the 2011 Senior Bowl game taking place on Saturday, March 26, 2011. 

Get a half-page ad for $100 or a full-page ad for $200. Artwork must be submitted to communications[at]playfootball.bc.ca by Monday, March 14 at the latest. 

The artwork specifications are as follows: 

Supplied AD FILES FULL COLOUR (including logos, photos, and other graphic images)

• Press Ready PDF: highest resolution possible
• JPEG: 250 DPI at actual print size (ie. no image size enlargement/reduction)
• EPS: vector EPS with all fonts outlined
  

AD SIZES

• Full Page: 5.5" W x 8.5" H bleeds: 1/8" on all sides
• 1/2 Page: 5.5" W x 4.125" H bleeds: 1/8" on all sides

Football BC has released the 2011 dates for the Community Sports Clinics and Introduction to Competition clinics that will take place across various locations across BC. Please visit our Events page for more information.

Important Senior Bowl notice

*Note: The 2011 Senior Bowl runs from March 22 to 26, 2011, not to March 27th as previously published. Sorry for any confusion. The camp portion will run from Tuesday – Friday at the BC Lions Training Facility in Surrey with the game taking place on the Saturday. Location of the game is TBD.

The full list of players who have been extended an automatic invitation to participate in this year’s Senior Bowl is now online on our Senior Bowl page.

The players who have been extended an automatic invitation include 2011 Star Bowl participants from the BC Community Football Association as well as 2010 AAA and AA Provincial All-Stars from BC High School Football who are currently in their grade 12 year and will be graduating in June.

If your name appears on the site, you should receive an e-mail from Football BC by Friday, February 11 at the latest. If you have not received an e-mail from Football BC by then, please contact communications@playfootball.bc.ca  immediately if you are interested in participating in this year’s Senior Bowl. Invited players must confirm their spot by submitting their completed registration form back to Football BC by Friday, February 18 or the spot will be given away.

The cost for participating in this year’s camp is $175 (includes insurance, jerseys, t-shirts and lunches). This year’s Senior Bowl camp will take place from March 22 to 26, 2011.

Players who have not been extended an automatic invitation but are interested in participating in this year’s Senior Bowl camp can come to one of the upcoming tryout sessions.

Important information for players attending an upcoming Football BC tryout/camp (Prep to be the Best, Team BC tryout, Senior Bowl tryout)

If you are planning to attend an upcoming Prep to be the Best camp, Team BC tryout or Senior Bowl tryout, we ask that you please download the evaluation form, fill out the Player Information section, and print out the form and bring it with you and hand it in during registration when you attend the session. 

As a reminder, players are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of their desired session. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear suitable for both indoor and outdoor workouts. Please also remember to bring a photo ID for proof of age as well as your $10 registration fee (if you are bringing a cheque, it can be made payable to “Football BC”).

Note: Contrary to earlier published information in The Huddle, you will NOT require full football gear for these sessions.

The 2011 Provincial Tryout and Evaluation schedule, including camp descriptions, can be downloaded in PDF format from our website.

The upcoming camp schedule is as follows:

Kelowna (Kelowna Secondary School)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Team BC Tryouts – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Prep to be the Best – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm


Fraser Valley (Rick Hansen Secondary School)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Team BC Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm


Lower Mainland (Simon Fraser University)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Team BC Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm


Vancouver Island (Mt. Douglas Secondary School)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Team BC Tryouts – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm


Prince George “Northern Combine” (Northern Sports Centre)
Senior Bowl Tryouts (February 25, 2011) – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Team BC Tryouts (February 26, 2011) – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Prep to be the Best (February 27, 2011) – 9:30 am to 11:30 am


*All date(s), time(s), and location(s) are subject to change.


Team BC tryouts are eligible for players born in 1994 or 1995.

Senior Bowl tryouts are eligible for players currently in their grade 12 year in high school and will be graduating at the end of the school year.

Prep to be the Best is open to players born in 1996 or 1997.

For more information on these camps, please contact Football BC Technical Director Dino Geremia at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

Football BC has launched a page on its website dedicated to the 2011 Senior Bowl. For information on this year’s Senior Bowl camp, please click here.

Football BC is accepting applications from individuals interested in a coaching position with the provincial 17-and-under team that will be competing at the 2011 Football Canada Cup tournament taking place from July 9 – 16, 2011 at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. 

Interested individuals should send a brief cover letter and a copy of their coaching resume to Tom Kudaba at tkudaba@shaw.ca. The deadline to submit an application is Friday, January 21, 2011. 

In addition to competition dates, coaches must also be available for the 2011 selection camps to be held from late January through to February, training camp to be held during May long weekend (May 21 - 23, 2011), as well as Main camp which runs in early July prior to the start of the competition.

Please click here to download a PDF version of the 2011 Provincial Tryout and Evaluation Schedule including camp descriptions

Football BC has announced the following dates in 2011 for Team BC (provincial 17-and-under team) tryouts, Senior Bowl tryouts and Prep to be the Best camps. All camps are open to Football BC member players at appropriate ages listed.

Team BC tryouts are eligible for players who are born in 1994 or 1995.

Senior Bowl tryouts are eligible for players currently in their grade 12 year in high school and will be graduating at the end of the school year.

Prep to be the Best is open to players who are born in 1996 or 1997.

Kelowna (Kelowna Secondary School)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Team BC Tryouts – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Prep to be the Best – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm 

Fraser Valley (Rick Hansen Secondary School)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Team BC Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm 

Lower Mainland (Simon Fraser University)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Team BC Tryouts – 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm 

Vancouver Island (Mt. Douglas Secondary School)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Prep to be the Best – 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Team BC Tryouts – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Senior Bowl Tryouts – 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm 

Prince George “Northern Combine” (Northern Sports Centre)
Senior Bowl Tryouts (February 25, 2011) – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Team BC Tryouts (February 26, 2011) – 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Prep to be the Best (February 27, 2011) – 9:30 am to 11:30 am

*All date(s), time(s), and location(s) are subject to change.

Players attending the identification camps are asked to bring their picture ID showing proof of age, helmet, shoulder pads, mouth guard, practice jersey, football shoes and shorts.

The cost for each tryout/camp is $10. Registration information and payment details will be made available in the mid-January. Please watch continue to read The Huddle or visit www.playfootball.bc.ca for more updated information.

For details on these camps and what to expect, please download the Football BC 2011 Development Program brochure or contact Football BC Technical Director, Dino Geremia, at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

Football Canada has released their selection camp schedule for those interested in being a part of Team Canada Men’s Senior National team. 

The tryout camps are open to all players who are 20 years of age and up. The fee to attend a camp is $50 and players are required to have their own shoulder pads, jersey, helmets and proper footwear. 

The camps will take place in Guelph, Ontario (Saturday, January 29), Moncton, New Brunswick (Sunday, January 30), Toronto, Ontario (Saturday, February 12), and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Saturday, February 26). 

To download the camp schedule in PDF format, please click here. To download the registration form, please click here. 

The team will be competing at the 2011IFAF World Championship taking place in Vienna, Austria. 

For more information, please visit Football Canada’s website.

The Football Academy is designed for aspiring players aged 14 to 17 years old who wish to improve their game by receiving consistent high level football training by people who know the game.

Instructors for the program include Dino Geremia (SFU Clan, Football BC Technical Director), Anthony Findlay (Level 10 Fitness), and Angus Reid (BC Lions).

For more information, please download the information package.

Details announced for 2011 Orange Helmet Awards Dinner to take place on Friday, March 4, 2011

The 2011 Orange Helmet Awards dinner is scheduled for Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. The dinner brings together the entire British Columbia football family and helps raise funds towards amateur football. The BC Lions have announced the following information for this year's event.

KEYNOTE:

This year's Orange Helmet Awards Dinner will take on a decided Grey Cup flavour with all five BC Lions Grey Cup-winning quarterbacks - Joe Kapp (1964), Roy Dewalt (1985), Danny McManus (1994), Damon Allen (2000), and Dave Dickenson (2006) - all in the house and taking part in a special Keynote Speakers Panel. An amazing opportunity for Lions fans old and young to see and hear from the five championship QBs all in the same room on the same night.

PRICE:

Amateur football members have an opportunity to purchase tickets to this event at an exclusive rate of $175 per plate or $1,750 for a table of 10 (plus HST). The corporate rate is $250 per plate and or $2,500 for a table of 10 (plus HST). Net proceeds go to benefit amateur football in British Columbia. Click here to download the Ticket Order Form for amateur football members only. You can also call 604.930.5466 to place an order over the phone or for more information.

DATE, TIME & LOCATION:

The 2011 Orange Helmet Awards takes place on Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West located at 1055 Canada Place in Vancouver, BC. The reception begins at 5:30 pm with dinner starting at 7:00 pm.

HOW TO SUPPORT:

The best way to support amateur football is to purchase a ticket or table to the 2011 Orange Helmet Awards Dinner. If you are unable to attend the event but would like to make a contribution, you can donate a silent auction item. Click here to download the Auction Item Donation Form.

Visit www.bclions.com/page/community_orange_awards for more information.

The deadline to nominate the 2010 Community Coach of the Year and 2010 Scholastic Coach of the Year has now been extended until Friday, December 17. The winners will be honoured at the 2010 Orange Helmet Awards Dinner.

Nominees will be judged for their overall performance and service to amateur football in BC and will be considered on the basis of coaching amateur performance only. Eligible coaches are those who have resided or whose primary coaching responsibility was in BC during the 2010 calendar year. Nominations are not limited to head coaches.

If you know a coach that you think deserves to be named the Coach of the Year, download the form and follow the instructions to send us your nomination.

The Community Coach of the Year is open to any coach of a BC community team (BCCFA member association clubs) or a BC Junior team (BCFC). The 2009 winner was Sean Roden of the Nanaimo Redmen.

The Scholastic Coach of the Year is open to any coach of a BC High School team or a BC university team (SFU/UBC). The 2009 winner was Farhan Lalji of New Westminster Secondary School.

The Orange Helmet Awards Committee reserves the right to seek nominations between the nomination deadline and the selection date, and the right to decline nominations.

Another exciting season of BC Community Football is in the books after the BCCFA concluded their season with their showcase event – the 43rd annual edition of the 12-man provincial championships – this past Sunday at McLeod Stadium in Langley.

In the end, five teams emerged with the right to call themselves provincial champions.

The Midget Division saw the most hotly contested match of the day with the Victoria Spartans, led by Coach Dave Shortt, squeaking out a 24-20 victory over the Mission Niners. The victory capped what was an unbelievable Cinderella run for the Spartans who were last team to qualify for the Midget Division playoffs finishing with the eighth best record in the regular season with five wins, four losses and one tie. On their way to the provincial title, they knocked off the undefeated top-seeded Langley Stampeders and then the third-seeded Cloverdale Bengals.

Sunday’s action at McLeod Stadium kicked off with the Atom Division championship game and saw the Westside Warriors emerge victorious over the Abbotsford Falcons. It was a clash between two teams that had gone unbeaten throughout their respective regular seasons and playoffs but in the end, it was the crew led by head coach Mike Pauls who capped off the perfect season with the 42-0 win. Officially, the Warriors are recognized by the BCCFA as co-Atom Division champions this season sharing the title with the Kelowna-Mission Lions who played their as part of the BCCFA’s 9-man league and won their championship game in the event that took place in November.

The Pee Wee Division championship saw a bit of an upset with the Chilliwack Giants Blue upending the undefeated Coquitlam Wildcats by a score of 28-13. The Giants Blue finished 7-3 during their regular season but went on to capture the VCFL title by defeating the VCFL’s top-seeded team, the Abbotsford Falcons, before winning a provincial semifinal over the Interior’s Kelowna Mission Lions. Head Coach Lawrence Smith’s Giants were deserving winners over a Wildcats team that had dominated their opposition throughout the entire VMFL regular season and playoffs.

The Jr. Bantam Division championship was a high-scoring battle that, in the end, was won by the Coquitlam Raiders who defeated the Kelowna Dragons by a 48-20 score. The victory in the provincial championship capped off a perfect season for the Raiders who went 9-0 during the regular season then defeated the Vancouver Trojans, North Surrey Eagles, and Langley Outlaws in the VMFL playoffs to earn a berth in the provincial final. The Dragons were also unbeaten heading into Sunday but just couldn’t muster up enough offence needed to knock off the Raiders.

The Bantam Division final got off to a late start after the BCCFA opted to delay the game’s start time to 6:00 pm in place of the Midget final that got the 3:30 pm time slot in order to assist with team travel. The Langley Mustangs didn’t mind that one bit as they completely dominated the Chilliwack Giants by a final score of 58-1. Head Coach Cliff Freeman’s Mustangs crew were undefeated during the VMFL regular season but were seeded second on a tie-breaker formula. They proved in the VMFL that they deserved to be the best after knocking off the other undefeated VMFL team, the North Surrey Tigers, to earn the League championship before ending their season on a high with a provincial championship.

Football BC would like to congratulate all of Sunday’s winners as well as all teams that participated in BC Community Football this season be it in Flag Football, 9-man Football, or 12-man Football. We look forward to seeing you hit the field again in 2011!

*All game scores were provided by the BCCFA Commissioner. If there are any discrepancies between the scores listed and information posted elsewhere, please contact us and we will make the corrections. Please forward official game sheets if you are submitting a correction.

For the first time since 1994, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish are atop of the BC High School Football world after scoring a 28-15 upset victory over the previously undefeated Terry Fox Ravens this past Saturday at Empire Field at the 2010 Subway Bowl.

The Fighting Irish earned a measure of revenge from 2006 when they were defeated by the Ravens in the championship tilt at BC Place.

Vancouver College was the most represented school at this year’s high school championships with their Grade 8 team and their Jr. AAA team also making it to their respective championship games. However, neither of them managed to take home the grand prize with the Grade 8 squad falling 28-22 to the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers in the Tier I Grade 8 Final last Tuesday (November 30) and the Jr. AAA team dropping a 43-28 decision to the Mt. Douglas Rams in a game played earlier on Saturday at Empire Field. That set the stage for the Senior squad to salvage the day in the final high school game played in the 2010 season.

The Irish didn’t get off to the start they wanted falling behind 7-0 early but went on to score 28 consecutive points after that. Adam Konar, son of former Irish and BC Lions alum Kevin Konar, was the easy choice for MVP after rushing for three touchdowns and making two interceptions. Charlie Thorpe also added a four-yard TD run to round out the scoring.

The Ravens got a very gutsy performance from quarterback/safety Cam Canales who continued to play despite suffering a right knee injury but it was clear that this night belonged to the Irish. Canales, like a true sportsman, was gracious in the defeat telling The Tri-City News that: “[The result] was disappointing but it was well-deserved by VC. They came out and beat us, fair and square. They executed better than us.”

The Sr. AA championship saw the John Barsby Bulldogs knock off the Handsworth Royals by a final score of 53-27. The win was the Bulldogs’ first championship since 2000 when they defeated the John Oliver Jokers. The Bulldogs Jr. AA team came up short in their championship attempt as they fell to the Mission Roadrunners 38-8 in the opening game of the 2010 Subway Bowl championship day on Saturday.

In other 2010 BC High School Championship games, the Frank Hurt Hornets defeated the Belmont Bulldogs in the Bob Ackles Cup 21-16 in the Tier II Final. The HD Stafford Skyhawks defeated the Abbotsford Huskies (Abbotsford Middle School) 20-12 in the Grade 8 Tier II Final.

Football BC would like to congratulate all the champions in this year’s BC High School Football season. We look forward to see all of you again in 2011!

Tickets available now for SFU Football Alumni Legacy Dinner on Thursday, November 4, 2010

The SFU Clan Football team will be holding their annual Legacy Dinner on Thursday, November 4. This year’s event will be hosted by SFU alumnus and former CFL quarterback Giulio Caravatta while Dennis Skulsky, President & CEO of the BC Lions, will give the keynote speech.

Tickets start at $125 and include a roast beef dinner, complimentary beer and wine, and the company of many great former CFL and NFL players.


Event Details

Date: Thursday, November 4, 2010
Location: Italian Cultural Centre, 2610 Grandview Highway, Vancouver, BC

Register online at www.sfufootballalumni.org.

Table and event sponsorship is available. Please visit www.sfufootballalumni.org or e-mail Jamie Clayton at jclayton@sd43.bc.ca for more details.

Dennis Skulsky Bio:

A familiar face throughout the CFL community, Dennis joins the Lions as the club’s 29th president following a four-year stint as president and CEO of Canwest Publishing where he oversaw the company’s print and online assets.

An integral part of the Lions organization since 2003, Skulsky was a part of a group led by the club’s late president and CEO Bob Ackles that founded the Waterboys, a collective of British Columbia business leaders who are committed to promoting the Lions brand in the corporate community.

In addition to his duties as chairman of the Waterboys, Skulsky also spearheaded the very successful 2005 Grey Cup Committee whose Party on the Pacific festival remains one of the most profitable and entertaining CFL championships to date. With a wealth of experience and leadership to his credit, Dennis was subsequently appointed co-chair of the 2011 Grey Cup Committee.

A veteran media executive in the newspaper industry, Skulsky began his career nearly three decades ago as circulation district manager for The Edmonton Journal, followed by several senior leadership positions with Southam Inc., Hollinger and Canwest.

Prior to his appointment as president and CEO of Canwest Publishing, Skulsky served as president and publisher for the Pacific Newspaper Group and group publisher, western region. In this role, Dennis oversaw all of Canwest MediaWorks’ western daily newspapers, including The Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Times Colonist, The Calgary Herald, The Edmonton Journal, The Leader-Post, The Star-Phoenix and 12 community newspapers throughout the lower mainland.

An Edmonton native, Dennis and his wife Marlene have two daughters, Jodi (Adam) and Kimberly and a granddaughter. Dennis has family ties to British Columbia as his parents currently reside in White Rock.

The 2010 BC Secondary Schools Football Association All-Star Awards Banquet will take place on November 30, 2010 at the Croatian Cultural Centre located at 3520 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC. The annual banquet celebrates provincial academic and athletic excellence and community involvement and will be hosted by Bob “The Moj” Marjanovich and Giulio Caravatta of the TEAM 1040.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, click here for the Sponsorship Request Letter. For information on purchasing a table, download the letter here.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here  

Pioneers are the visionaries. Builders put the pieces together. Teams win championships. The media tell us the stories. But when you boil it all down, the great game of football would not be possible without the players.

The BC Football Hall of Fame are welcoming nominations for their inaugural induction class and while there are no shortage of ideas bandied about in the categories of team, pioneer, builder, and media, it is the ‘athlete’ category that is ironically one of the more difficult ones to suggest nominees for.

With tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of players that have been involved in football in British Columbia over the years – be it at the minor level or the professional level – there are certainly no shortage of athletes deserving to be honored and this is where the BC Football Hall of Fame is hoping the football community will help share those stories by nominating an athlete for induction.

While names such as Lui Passaglia (Notre Dame Regional Secondary; Simon Fraser University; BC Lions) and Jerome Pathon (Carson Graham Secondary) will undoubtedly be among the first thought of by virtue of their respective successful stints in the professional leagues, it is important to note that the athlete category is not limited to those who have made a mark on professional football.

The criteria for an athlete to be selected for induction is that he or she has “attained a high level of excellence and brought recognition or honor to Football in British on a national or provincial level in relation to participation in open level sport(s) competition.”

If you know someone who is deserving of the honor of being inducted into the BC Football Hall of Fame, please visit www.bcfootballhalloffame.com before November 1, 2010 to submit your nomination.

Football BC has posted a gallery of photos from the BC Lions’ Salute to Minor Football Night festivities on October 2. To see the photos, visit Football BC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/footballbc 

Advertising opportunities with BC Community Football and BC High School Football

Looking to get your message out to the football community in BC?

Take out a program ad in either the BC Community Football championships programs or the BC High School Football championship program.

Click here for the information package for the BC Community Football championship programs (9-man championship and 12-man championship). 

Click here for the information package for the BC High School championship program. 

Registration for the Sports First Aid course to take place on Sunday, September 12 at New Westminster Secondary School has been extended until 5pm PT on Thursday, September 9.

For more information and to register, please visit http://www.playfootball.bc.ca/safety.html.

The Coquitlam Minor Football Association will be paying tribute to the late Kevin Chin by renaming Mackin Field South at Mackin Park in Coquitlam to the Kevin Chin Field in a ceremony on Monday, September 6.

The Field Dedication Ceremony will take place at 4:30pm with the Ceremonial Kick Off slated for 5:00pm. Barbecue and refreshments will be provided by the Coquitlam Minor Football Association.

If you are interested in attending the ceremony, please RSVP by Thursday, September 2 to bmclennon@coquitlam.ca  or call 604.927.6976.

Click here to download the PDF invitation. Read more about Kevin Chin here.

Registration is now open for the final “Sports First Aid course” offered by Football BC in 2010. The course is scheduled for Sunday, September 12th at New Westminster Secondary School.

Visit www.playfootball.bc.ca/safety_registration.php to register. Online registration will be open until Tuesday, September 7th.

Please note that only one person per club or school can register per session but additional spots may open up allowing multiple attendees from the same club/school. Please contact communications@playfootball.bc.ca if you wish to register more than one person from the same club or school. The cost to attend is free for all Football BC members but there will be a $200 charge for no-shows.

Cancellations must be phoned in to Football BC at 604-677-1025 and must be confirmed by the Wednesday prior to the session.

Prince George will be hosting an Introduction to Competition course this weekend (August 27-28) for coaches working with players aged 13-18.

Course topics include:

• Making ethical decisions
• Planning a practice
• Teaching and learning
• Analyzing performance
• Introduction to contact
• Offensive and defensive systems
• Technical skills

The cost to attend is $100 (includes manuals and administration fees).

For more details and to register, please contact Ryan Bellamy at 250-612-2627.

Did you attend the 2010 Football BC Conference back on May 28-29 at Douglas College and want to share what you heard from our guest speakers with your football colleagues?

You can do that now by purchasing the 2010 Football BC Conference DVD set. The entire conference featuring an impressive list of guest speakers from around the football world are now available in this 12-DVD set. This set is a great coaching resource to have for your team or organization.

The 12-DVD set includes the following speakers/topics:

• Romeo Bandison, University of Colorado Buffaloes – Defensive Line
  
• Jeff Reinebold, Southern Methodist University – Receivers
  
• Steve Szabo, Former NFL coach – Tackling and Fire Zones
  
• Mark Washington, BC Lions – Defensive Backs
  
• And many more!

The entire set is available for just $50. To order, please contact:

Dino Geremia
Technical Director, Football BC
604-816-5157
dinogeremia@shaw.ca 

Prince George will be hosting an Introduction to Competition course this weekend (August 27-28) for coaches working with players aged 13-18.

Course topics include:

• Making ethical decisions
• Planning a practice
• Teaching and learning
• Analyzing performance
• Introduction to contact
• Offensive and defensive systems
• Technical skills

The cost to attend is $100 (includes manuals and administration fees).

For more details and to register, please contact Ryan Bellamy at 250-612-2627.

Football BC and FastModel Technologies have teamed up to provide Football BC members with an amazing deal on the purchase of a FastDraw Basic program.

FastDraw provides coaches with an intuitive and efficient tool for creating and managing their football diagrams. FastDraw Basic features include:

• “Football Aware” diagramming that makes drawing plays simple and accurate
  
  
• Powerful playbook printing engine that satisfies the most basic and complex output needs, including direct PDF generation
  
  
• Scalable, searching Play Library designed to provide easy access to multiple seasons’ worth of diagrams
  
  
• Mac and Windows Compatible
  

As a Football BC member, you can purchase a license of FastDraw Basic for just $35 – a savings of $165 from the normal retail price of $200. FastDraw is an annual subscription and you will receive upgrades and enhancements throughout the year as they are released.

For more information or to purchase, please visit http://www.fastmodeltechnologies.com/products/BCFootball.php.

For the second month in a row, a team representing British Columbia has earned a medal at a national football tournament hosted by Football Canada.

Following in the footsteps of the provincial under-18 tackle team that captured bronze at the 2010 Football Canada Cup in July, this past Monday it was Coquitlam Spider Monkeys that did BC proud wrapping up the U15 National Flag Championship with a dominating 34-6 win over Alberta in the bronze medal game.

Read the entire story here.

In addition to co-head coaches Eddie Ferg and Paul Lancaster, members of the national bronze medal winning U15 Coquitlam Spider Monkeys are Chase Malcolm, Malcolm Lee, Kevin Marshall, Shane Noel, Tristen Sands, and Connor McKee.

The schedule for this weekend’s medical seminar in Prince George is as follows:

Saturday, August 14 (9am - 4pm) - Sports First Aid course
Sunday, August 15 (9am - 4pm) - Athletic Taping course

Both sessions will be held at:

PriMed Emergency Training Ventures
3861 18th Avenue
Prince George, BC

To register for this weekend’s courses, please contact Ryan Bellamy at cachous_09@hotmail.com or by phone at 250-612-2627.

For more on upcoming Summer Medical Seminar sessions, please visit http://www.playfootball.bc.ca/safety.html.

When the 2010 U15 National Flag Football tournament kicks off in Ottawa, Ontario on August 14, coaches Paul Lancaster and Eddie Ferg have just one message to all the participating teams in this year's tournament: Watch out for the Spider Monkeys.

Lancaster and Ferg are the coaches of the under-15 Coquitlam Spider Monkeys Flag Football team that earned their way to national championship after winning the provincial tournament that took place in Kelowna back in June. After nearly two months without any game action, the Spider Monkey coaches and players are itching to get back into the competitive mode.

Read the full story here.

The 2010 Timbits Camp, hosted by the BC Lions, will take place on Sunday, August 29th from 11am to 1pm. This free annual event provides an opportunity for kids between the ages of 6-12 to get up close and personal with their Lions heroes as the players run them through numerous football drills.

Space is limited. Click here to pre-register now.

WHERE: BC Lions practice facility (10605 – City Parkway, Surrey)

WHEN: Sunday, August 29th

TIME: Registration opens at 10:00am – camp runs from 11:00am to 1:00pm

COST: Free

Visit www.bclions.com/page/timbitscamp for more information.

Several changes have been made to the upcoming schedule for the Football BC summer medical seminar sessions. The list of upcoming courses is now as follows:

August 7-8: Vancouver – Notre Dame Regional Secondary (Registration closed). NOTE: Venue has been changed. Registrants will be informed by e-mail.

August 8: Nanaimo – John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration closed)

*August 14-15: Prince George (Note: Day 1 will consist of the Sports First Aid Course and Day 2 will consist of the Athletic Taping course. Information on the Athletic Taping course is available at www.playfootball.bc.ca/safety.html. For details on the Prince George sessions and to register, please contact Ryan Bellamy at cachous_09@hotmail.com or at 250-612-2627)

*August 21-22: Langley – Location TBD (Note: For this two-day session ONLY, the Sports First Aid Course takes place on Day 1 (August 21) while the Emergency First Aid and CPR Course will takes place on Day 2. Registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

*August 21: Vernon – Clarence Fulton Secondary (Emergency First Aid and CPR Course only. Registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

*August 29: Vernon – Clarence Fulton Secondary (First Sports Aid Course only. Registration opens concurrently with August 21 Vernon Emergency First Aid and CPR Course.)

*Note change from previously published date/course.

For more details on the Football BC Summer Medical Series or to register for upcoming courses, please visit our Safety page.

Take advantage of this opportunity as it will not be offered again before the 2010 Football Season.

Introduction to Competition - Football

For coaches working with players 13-18 years. Coaching and representing teams locally and regionally.

Friday August 6
6:00-10:00pm 

Saturday August 7
9:00am -4:00pm

Location: Notre Dame Regional Secondary School
Address: 2880 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC
Cost: $100 (includes manual and workbook)

Register by emailing Dino Geremia (dinogeremia@shaw.ca) or calling 604-816-5157

With a new coach at the helm, former T-Bird quarterback Shawn Olson, and a brand new state of the art playing field, the UBC Thunderbirds kick off the 2010 season with one goal in mind: a return to excellence. 

Join the T-Birds this season as they write the next chapter in T-Birds Football history! 

Purchase your 2010-2011 Season’s Pass On Sale NOW! 
Adult - $25*, Youth/Senior - $15* *Includes Shrum Bowl XXXIII ($15 value)

T-Birds Regular Season Home Game Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 4th vs Alberta (1:00 pm)
Saturday, Sept. 18th vs Manitoba (1:00 pm) HOMECOMING
Friday, Sept. 24th vs Regina (7:00 pm)
Friday, Oct. 8th vs SFU - Shrum Bowl 33 (7:00 pm)
Friday, Oct. 22nd vs Saskatchewan (7:00 pm)

Individual Game Day Tickets
Adults - $10
Youth, Seniors & Visiting Students - $5
Kids 6 and under – FREE

To purchase your season’s pass or for ticket/group sale information please call 604-822-3094 or email tickets@gothunderbirds.ca. 

The Football BC Medical Seminar previously scheduled for the weekend of July 24-25 in Vernon has now been re-scheduled for August 21-22. The two-day session will take place at Clarence Fulton Secondary.

Registration for this session will open on August 11 and will close on August 17. We will be announcing venues for the Prince George session and the Langley session shortly.

Registration is open now for the August 7-8 New Westminster session and the August 8 Nanaimo Session (“Sport First Aid Course” only). Please click here to register. 

The complete list of upcoming Summer Medical Seminar offerings are as follows:


August 8: Nanaimo – John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration open now, closes August 3)

August 7-8: New Westminster – Douglas College (Registration open now, closes August 3)

August 13-15: Prince George – Location TBD (Registration opens August 4, closes August 10)

August 21-22: Langley – Location TBD (Registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

August 21-22: Vernon – Clarence Fulton Secondary (Registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

The Football BC Summer Medical Seminar scheduled for this weekend (July 24-25) has been postponed until a later date. We will make the new date and location of the Vernon session available online at www.playfootball.bc.ca  and through our The Huddle newsletter as soon as it has been confirmed. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Registration for the August 7-8 New Westminster Seminar (Douglas College) and August 8 Nanaimo session (John Barsby Community School – “Sports First Aid Course”) have been pushed up and are now open online.   Please click here to register or visit our Safety page for more information on the course offerings.

The complete list of upcoming Summer Medical Seminar offerings are as follows:

August 8: Nanaimo – John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration open now, closes August 3)

August 7-8: New Westminster – Douglas College (Registration open now, closes August 3)

August 13-15: Prince George – Location TBD (Registration opens August 4, closes August 10)

August 21-22: Langley – Location TBD (Registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

TBD: Vernon – Location TBD


Each day’s session begins at 9:00am and goes to approximately 6:00pm.

Registration is required. You can register at http://www.playfootball.bc.ca/safety.html.

Please note that only one person per club or school can register per session but additional spots may open up for multiple attendees from the same club/school depending on registration numbers. Please contact communications@playfootball.bc.ca if you wish to register more than one person from the same club or school. The cost to attend is free for all Football BC members but there will be a $200 charge for no-shows.

Cancellations must be phoned in to Football BC at 604-677-1025 and must be confirmed by the Wednesday prior to each session.

Registration for the July 10-11 offering of the Summer Medical Seminar at Langley’s Sandman Hotel has been extended to Thursday, July 8. Spots are limited. Register now by clicking here.

Registration for the July 17-18 session at Vancouver’s Notre Dame Regional Secondary and the July 17 session at Nanaimo’s John Barsby Community School (Emergency First Aid and CPR course only) is also open now. Registration for these sessions will close on Tuesday, July 13 so register now.

Full information on Football BC’s Summer Medical Seminars, including course descriptions/curriculums, can be found at the Safety page.

The Seattle Seahawks are returning to Vancouver with their Play 60 tour and will be hosting their popular Gatorade Junior Training Camp on Thursday, July 15.

This FREE youth football clinic is open for kids aged 8-14 and will feature appearances by Josh Wilson (Seahawks starting cornerback), David Hawthorne (Seahawks starting linebacker) and members of the BC Lions Alumni. Also, the Sea Gals cheerleading squad will be hosting free dance lessons and the Blue Thunder marching band will be offering free drum lessons.

The camp takes place on Thursday, July 15 from 2pm-4pm at the Vancouver College Football Field located at 5400 Cartier Street in Vancouver, BC.

To register, visit http://www.seahawks.com/community/youth-football/play60-tour.html.

Members of the Sea Gals cheerleading squad will also be performing during half time of the BC Lions game on July 16 versus the Montreal Alouettes. The game kicks off at 7pm at Empire Fields, located at Renfrew and Cassiar St.

Registration is now open for Football BC's summer medical seminar series. These two-day seminars are comprised of the "Emergency First Aid and CPR
Course" on the first day and "Sports First Aid Course" on the second day. The Sports First Aid Course is football-specific and also includes concussion-related education.

(Note: If you have received prior first aid training beyond basic first aid, you may be eligible to skip the “Emergency First Aid and CPR course.” For further clarification, please e-mail communications@playfootball.bc.ca.)

• Click here to download the course description for the “Emergency First Aid and CPR Course.”
  

• Click here to download the curriculum for the “Sports First Aid Course.”

The courses and available locations are as follows:

July 10-11: Langley – Sandman Hotel (registration extended to July 8)

July 17-18: Vancouver – Notre Dame Regional Secondary (registration opens July 7, closes July 13)

July 17: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School (Emergency First Aid and CPR course only. Registration opens July 7, closes July 13)

July 24-25: Vernon - Location TBD (registration opens July 14, closes July 20)

August 8: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 7-8: New Westminster - Location TBD (registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 13/15: Prince George - Location TBD (registration opens August 4, closes August 10)

August 21-22: Langley - Location TBD (registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

Each day’s session begins at 9:00am and goes to approximately 6:00pm.

Registration is required. Click here to register.

Please note that only one person per club or school can register per session. Any additional registrants from the same club or school for the same session will be disregarded. The cost to attend is free for all Football BC members but there will be a $200 charge for no-shows.

Cancellations must be phoned in to Football BC at 604-677-1025 and must be confirmed by the Wednesday prior to each session.
     

• The “education program” is not a formal course or a classroom session. Rather, we require that coaches review all the information sent from Footbal BC and ensure that the information is circulated to all coaches/staff within the organization as well as to all the athletes/parents. If possible, encourage the information to be posted on each club’s or association’s website as well. The resources can be found in the links below.
• Football BC has received permission from the Oregon Center for Applied Science, who has created a 20-minute online concussion seminar for coaches. All BC coaches may access this online tool for free. To do so, visit http://activecoach.orcasinc.com and register.
• Football BC will have viewable concussion seminar video online by the end of the month to facilitate coaches who would have difficulty attending in-person one of the concussion seminars to be offered later this summer.
• Football BC will be running concussion seminars during the summer time which will further give coaches the opportunity to receive education in concussion management. These information sessions will be conducted by medical doctors.
• Football BC will also be providing concussion cards free of charge to associations and schools which will be distributed to all coaches, team personnel, parents and athletes.

2. Have informed consent forms signed annually by parents and youth athletes acknowledging the risk of head injury prior to practice or competition.

• This form is the “Football BC Concussion Parent-Athlete Consent Form” which can be downloaded in the link below.

3. Remove any athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury from play – “when in doubt, sit them out”.

• This refers to all practices and/or games.

4. Ensure that all athletes who have been removed from play as a result of a suspected head injury or concussion have written clearance from a licensed medical doctor prior to returning from play.

• This clearance must be provided to Football BC upon request.

Use the following links to download the resources that your association requires to comply with the new policy:

Concussion Information Sheet for Athletes

Concussion Information Sheet for Coaches

Concussion Information Sheet for Parents

Football BC Concussion Parent-Athlete Consent Form

Concussion Information Card (developed by ThinkFirst Canada)

Football BC Concussion Policy

The Football BC concussion policy is designed to ensure that all participants in amateur football understand the risk and potentially devastating effects of head injuries. Its purpose, through education for all parties involved, is to provide the safest possible setting for youth athletes.

Education Links:

The following are concussion-related stories that have been published in the last two years that demonstrate the dangers of concussions and head injuries particularly in football and some of the measures that have been undertaken by various institutions to increase player safety. Football BC encourages all members to visit the following links to gain a better appreciation of just how serious an issue concussion-safety is and why Football BC chose this time to announce its new policy.


From November 2008 & July 2009 CBC Fifth Estate: What is killing Professional Football Players

From September 2009 GQ Magazine: Game Brain

From January 2010 Time Magazine cover story: The most Dangerous Game. How to fix football

From October 2009 60 Minutes: Football Brain Damage

From January 2010 Vancouver Sun, Stephen Hume: Time to take head injuries seriously

From February 2010 Vancouver Sun, Stephen Hume: US Takes Action on concussions while we continue to talk about it.

From March 2010 National Federation of State High School Associations: Concussion Rule Revised, Strengthened in High School Football

From April 2010 Brain Damage Blog: NCAA tweaks football, wrestling rules to protect athletes against concussions

From May 2010 ESPN & Associated Press: NFL Commissioner Urges Concussion rules for all youth sports

From Football Canada 2010-2011: The Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football – Concussion Management (page ii)
     

• Football BC Concussion Policy 
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Athletes
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Parents/Guardians
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Coaches
  
• Concussion Information Card (developed by ThinkFirst Canada)
  
• Parents and Athletes Consent Form – to fill out and return to your coaches

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new Football BC concussion policy, please e-mail communications@playfootball.bc.ca.

For more information on concussion and head injuries, please visit ThinkFirst’s website at www.thinkfirst.ca.
       
                           

1. An informed consent must be signed annually by parents and youth athletes acknowledging the risk of head injury prior to practice or competition;
   
2.  An athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury must be removed from play – “when in doubt, sit them out”; and
   
3. An athlete who has been removed from play must receive written clearance from a licensed medical doctor prior to returning to play.

The full Football BC concussion policy can be downloaded here.
                           

Football Canada is asking members of the Football family to take five minutes to fill out a short online survey.

The survey is focused on gaining information about Football participation, coaching, officiating and volunteer/manager roles. The goal of the survey is to gain a clear perspective on the Football community in Canada, including an understanding of member participation in the areas of Tackle, Touch and Flag Football. Some questions pertaining to facility/venue usage are also included.

Click here to take the survey.

The British Columbia Football Association is looking for individuals interested in becoming Football Officials for the upcoming BC High School Football Leagues and the GSL Community Football League.

BCFOA is hosting a training session on Saturday, May 29, 2010 from 9:00 am to 4:30pm free-of-charge at Holy Cross High School in Surrey, BC.

For more information, download the brochure or visit www.bcfoa.ca.

Football BC has unveiled the list of 97 players that have earned a training camp invitation and will compete for a roster spot on the provincial under-18 team that will represent British Columbia at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

The full list of invited players can be downloaded here. Testing results for players that attended any of the four identification camps can be found here. 

Training camp dates and times will be announced shortly.

The following is a statement released by Team B.C. head coach Tom Kudaba thanking all the players who attended an identification camp and
congratulating the players that have been invited to training camp:

"Over the last two weeks, the 2010 coaching staff of the provincial U-18 team assessed some 200-plus players at camps in Nanaimo, Kamloops, Abbotsford and New Westminster. On behalf of all the coaches, I would like to say that it was indeed a pleasure to have worked with all the athletes who came out to demonstrate their athletic skills. I would also like to say that all the coaches were impressed with the overall talent level of the players and this is a tribute to the players and the coaches of the programs they play with. The talent pool in our province continues to improve and with the renewal of Football BC's commitment to national championship participation, it bodes well for our province's success at such competitions.

I would personally like to thank all the players for their efforts and remind them that hard work and training may not always help you reach your goals but it does make you a better athlete and person. For those who were not selected, keep your dedication and commitment growing. For those who do get to continue on, one step is taken but more are ahead. We'll be in touch regarding details shortly."

Please check the Coaches' section of Football BC’s website for the latest updated schedule on course offerings. 

Looking to showcase your products to individuals from all over the football world?

Sign up to become an Exhibitor at the upcoming Football BC Conference 2010 to be held at Douglas College on May 28-29, 2010.

For just $350, you will receive a table in the highly visible exhibitor’s hall, your company logo included in the Conference program, a chance to provide a handout to all the attendees, and much, much more.

For more information on this exciting opportunity, download the Exhibitors Information package or contact Dino Geremia at 604-816-5157 or by e-mail at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

Football BC Conference 2010 is an exciting two-day football conference that will take place on May 28-29 at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C. and will feature presentations from some of the top personnel at all levels of football.

The conference is open to everyone involved in football including coaches, trainers, strength and conditioning specialists, administrators and officials. The cost is just $65 for Football BC members or $350 for a team (maximum of eight attendees). The price includes the two-day conference as well as a continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday.


To register, download the conference brochure and fill out the registration form and mail the form along with a cheque payable to “Football BC” to:

Football BC Conference 2010
Suite 434 – 6540 Hastings St.
Burnaby, BC V5B 4Z5

More information on speakers and conference schedules will be made available at www.playfootball.bc.ca as they become available.

For those interested in having a display booth at the event, please contact Dino Geremia at 604-816-5157 or by e-mail at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

The British Columbia Football Conference has released their upcoming schedule for the 2010 season.

The six-team league will all open play on Saturday, July 24th as part of an 11-week regular season (all teams get a bye on Labour Day weekend). Semi-final playoff games are set for the weekend of October 9/10 and the Cullen Cup final will take place the following weekend.

This year, the BCFC will host the CJFL Intergold Game facing the champions of the Ontario Football Conference on the weekend of October 30/31. The winner of that contest will go on to face the champions of the Prairie Football Conference on the weekend of November 13/14 at the Canadian Bowl.

The Vancouver Island Raiders are the defending CJFL Canadian Bowl Champions.

To download the full BCFC schedule, visit the BCFC website or click here.

The Surrey Rams Alumni Association is holding their second annual charity golf tournament and dinner on May 2 at the Hazelmere Golf and Country Club on May 2, 2010.

Last year, the Rams presented a star-studded event that was attended by many current and former CFL stars including Geroy Simon, Jim Mills and Daved Benefield along with Rams alumni Paul McCallum and Will Loftus.

Tickets are just $200 for both golf and dinner or $100 for dinner only. All proceeds go to the Rams players. This event expects to be sold out so book your foursome today.

For more information or to book a spot, contact Gord Querin or Chris Swartz.

Click here to download the tournament brochure.


The Rams are also looking for prospective sponsors for the 2010 BCFC season. Becoming a sponsor is a great way to create awareness for your business and support your community all at the same time.

For more on becoming a Rams sponsor for the 2010 season, download the Sponsorship Package.

Full Speed Football is still accepting registrations for the Receiver Camp to be held May 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at John Oliver Park in Delta, BC.

The camp is run in conjunction with the Quarterback Academy, which is completely full at this time. The cost of the camp is $150 and includes camp shorts and t-shirt.

Full Speed Football also offers a wide selection of camps for other age groups, positions and genders. For a full list of their camps, please visit http://www.fullspeedfootball.com/Camps.html.

For more information, please contact Ciaran Feenan at cfeenan@fullspeedfootball.com.

UBC Thunderbirds 2010/11 Football Camp schedule

The UBC Thunderbirds have released their schedule for football camps in the 2010/11 season.

The various camps are designed for players between the ages of 11 to 18 and are run by the UBC coaching staff and will also feature special guests to ensure the highest level of coaching is provided.

A full listing of all upcoming camps is available by downloading the UBC Football Camps brochure. To register for any camp, please go to www.ubccamps.ca or call the UBC Camps office at 604-822-6121. For additional information on any of the UBC Football Camps, please e-mail Camp Coordinator Paul Orazietti at pauloraz@interchange.ubc.ca. 

Want to have your skills evaluated and trained by some of the top CFL players and coaches? Sign up for this year’s Miles of Fitness Skills Camp happening on May 15-16 at the Cloverdale Athletic Park.

The camp, designed for players aged 13-17, is hosted by former BC Lions All-Star and current Lions defensive backs coach Barron Miles. The camp is only $150 and there are only 50 openings.

For registration details, visit www.milesoffitness.com or call (604) 576-8331. Click here to download the camp brochure

Football BC would like to encourage all their members to sign up for the CABC’s ENews – a free monthly e-mail update from the CABC.

The e-mail provides the latest news and information about seminars, grants and scholarship awards and other coach related information. Members also receive information about discounts and special member offers.

To sign up, visit the CABC website. 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Football BC announced today the coaching staff for the provincial under-18 team that will represent British Columbia at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

Leading the staff as head coach is Tom Kudaba, co-head coach of the 2006 and 2008 B.C. High School Sr. AAA Provincial Champions Terry Fox Ravens. Kudaba will also be in charge of the offensive line. Joining Kudaba will be his co-head coach from the Ravens, Martin McDonnell, who will be in charge of the running backs.

W.J. Mouat Hawks head coach Denis Kelly will serve as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach while former UBC Thunderbirds defensive coordinator Dino Geremia will be the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Rounding out the coaching staff is Kris Pechet (Seaquam Seahawks) in charge of receivers, Ray Moon (South Delta Sun Devils) in charge of the defensive line, and Alexis Sanschagrin (Mt. Douglas Rams) in charge of the defensive backs.

• Download the full press release (pdf file)
• Q&A with Team B.C. head coach Tom Kudaba (pdf file)
• Player registration form (pdf file)
  
  

BC Lions and CFL veteran Bobby Singh will be holding his 2nd Annual Non-Contact Football Camp for kids aged 8-15 on May 22nd at Minoru Park in Richmond, BC. Joining Bobby will be San Francisco 49ers Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Uyeyama as well as several CFL stars including Geroy Simon, Casey Printers, Brent Johnson, Davis Sanchez and many more.

The cost of the one-day camp is only $125 if you pre-register at www.downsethutfootball.com  or $135 for same-day registration. Included in the cost is a camp T-shirt, a Down Set Hut Football water bottle, lunch and several cool prizes. Visit the website for more information.

A portion of the proceeds from the camp will benefit members of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vancouver and the Zajac Ranch for Children.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – VANCOUVER, B.C. – Football BC announced today that the identification camps previously scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at WJ Mouat High School in Abbotsford, B.C. and for Sunday, April 18 at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops, B.C. have been re-scheduled. Hillside Stadium will now host an identification camp on Saturday, April 17 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm and WJ Mouat High School will host an identification camp on Sunday, April 18 from 11:00am to 3:00pm.

The identification camps are free of charge and open to all age eligible players who were registered members of Football BC last season. The complete revised schedule for all identification camps are as follows:

Players attending the identification camps are asked to bring their picture ID showing proof of age, helmet, shoulder pads, mouth guard, practice jersey, football shoes and shorts. A player cannot attend more than one identification camp.

The 2010 Football Canada Cup is being held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010. To be eligible, all players must be under 18 as of July 31, 2010 and must be born in no later than 1994. (If a player turns 18 on August 1, 2010, he will be eligible to play).

• Download press release (pdf file)
  
  

VANCOUVER, B.C. – In keeping with Football BC mandate that all officials must have a Level 1 certificate to work any sanctioned Football BC game. There are 4 levels in the CFOA certification program.

This year BCFOA and LMFRA will educate and train 22 officials from around the Province at a Level 3 Clinic on March 27 and 28th. This is an invitational only Clinic for Officials that have achieved the Level 2 theory and on-field evaluations. Football BC is both a supporter and sponsor of these clinics.

An experienced list of instructors from the CFL and CIS will be presenting a variety of Level 3 topics throughout the weekend.

• Larry Rohan, Former CFL Official and CFL, CIS, BCFC Supervisor of Officials
  
  
• Carey Anderson, Twelve year CFL Official
  
  
• Dave Hawkshaw, Five year CFL Official
  
  
• Parry Steen, One year CFL Official
  
  
• Bob Scott, Former CFL Official and Current CIS, BCFC Official
  
  
• Darryl Hern, CIS & BCFC Official

BCFOA Contact:
Ken McKinnon
KMckinnon2@aol.com 

Sign up now for Spring Coaches Clinic 2010

Centaur Products Inc. is presenting the Spring Coaches Clinic 2010 taking place at Simon Fraser University on April 17, 2010.

This one-day event features an amazing list of presenters including UBC head coach Shawn Olson, SFU head coach Dave Johnson, BC Lions Special Teams coordinator Chuck McMann and many, many more. The clinic will cover topics ranging from quarterback techniques to D-line play to kicking techniques.

Cost is only $40 if you pre-book ($50 at the door). For more information, download the brochure or contact Lance Heron at hounddog11@shaw.ca or 604-826-7191.

About 200 fans braved the weather on Saturday at Simon Fraser University and were treated to a fantastic Senior Bowl game that saw Team East rebound from a 17-0 deficit to post an 18-17 victory over Team East in the annual all-star showcase.

A full recap of the game, along with a camp review and a list of award winners, can be found here.  Special thanks to all the coaches, players, staff and volunteers for making the 2010 Senior Bowl a success.

Anybody interested in a DVD copy of the 2010 Senior Bowl game should contact Marcus Mullen at mulloon18@gmail.com. 

The 2010 Senior Bowl, presented by the British Columbia Football Conference, will take place on Saturday, March 13 at Burnaby’s Simon Fraser University’s Terry Fox Field. Kickoff is 1pm PT and admission is free.

The Senior Bowl roster is comprised of the top amateur football players in the province of British Columbia that will be graduating from high school in 2010. The head coach for the 2010 Senior Bowl is Dino Geremia, former defensive coordinator for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Players who have participated in
previous Senior Bowls include current BC Lions players Justin Sorensen, Angus Reid and Paris Jackson....

• Download complete press release 
  (pdf file)
  
  
• Q&A with 2010 Senior Bowl head coach Dino Geremia
  (pdf file)

British Columbia is returning to the Football Canada Cup with an under-18 team at the tournament to be held from 
July 10 – 17, 2010 at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS and coaching staff positions are now open.

Interested individuals should send a brief cover letter and a copy of their coaching resume to coach Pat Waslen at PatWaslen@aol.com.

In addition to competition dates, coaches must also be available for the 2010 selection camps to be held during April-May 2010, training camp to be held during May long weekend (May 22 - 24, 2010), as well as Main camp which runs from July 6 - 9, 2010.

2010 Orange Helmet Awards Tickets On Sale Now

Come celebrate the cream of the crop in BC amateur football in this special annual fundraising event that raises thousands of dollars for amateur football in British Columbia. This year’s event will be held at the brand new Vancouver Convention Center and will feature former CFL and NFL superstar QB Doug Flutie as the keynote speaker. Doug’s brother Darren Flutie, also a former prominent CFL receiver and media personality, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The amateur football rate for this event is just $175 per plate ($1,750 for a table of ten) plus GST. For reservations, call 604.930.5466.  
For more information, click here. 

Football BC to Field Under-18 All-Star Team at the 2010 Football Canada Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

[ Download PDF Press Release ]

Vancouver, B.C. – Football BC announced today that they will fielding an all-star under-18 team to be comprised of eligible players from British Columbia to compete at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

This marks the first time that British Columbia has sent a provincial team to compete at the Football Canada Cup since 2000 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. B.C. previously fielded teams for the U-19 competition in 1993, 1995 and from 1997-2000. B.C. captured their first and only Football Canada Cup championship on home turf in 1999 in the tournament held at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

“Football BC is very excited to once again compete in the Football Canada Cup,” said Football BC Executive Director Patrick Waslen. “The football talent produced in British Columbia is second to none and we are looking forward to giving the top players in this Province an opportunity to compete against the best players across Canada.”

Information on player tryouts as well applications for coaching and support personnel will be announced at a later date. To be eligible for the 2010 event, all players must be under the age of 18 as of July 31, 2010 and must be born no later than 1994. Schedule information will be made available by Football Canada in the New Year.


About the Football Canada Cup:

The Football Canada Cup championship started in 1995 as a National Under-19 Championship for High School and Midget players. In 2004, the FCC welcomed an Under-17 division. The event has welcome players from British Columbia to Nova Scotia through its 16 years.

The 2010 event moves to a new format which will reach an age group that supports provincial development across the country. The event will be a National Under-18 Championship and will, for the first time in the event’s history, have the greatest number of Provincial representation.

The Provinces that are participating in the 2010 Football Canada Cup are: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

Registration Now Open for 
2010 Jay Prepchuk QB Camp and Power2Perform Receivers Academy

These highly popular and specialized camps designed specifically for Quarterbacks and Receivers will fill up fast so don't miss out on your opportunity to take part in the 2010 sessions.

For more information on the Quarterback Academy, 
click here (PDF file). 

For more information on the Receivers Academy, 
click here (PDF file).  

Registration is first come, first served so don't delay. The registration fee is $250. For more information, contact power2perform@telus.net or call 604-980-5653.

To register, download and fill out the Registration Form and send it to the contact information provided.

2009 Subway Bowl Photo Gallery

Re-live the best moments of the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships held on December 4-5, 2009 as well as the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet by checking out the photo galleries that are posted on our Football BC Facebook page. While you are there, don’t forget to become a Fan of Football BC on Facebook!

All photos from the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships are courtesy of Ray Shum and Tempest Photo.

For a complete gallery of all the photos taken at this weekend’s Subway Bowl, visit the links posted on our Facebook page. To order high resolution pictures taken the respective championship games and/or the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet, contact Ray Shum at tempestphoto@hotmail.com.


 

Registration for the July 17-18 offering of the Summer Medical Seminar at Vancouver’s Notre Dame Regional Secondary has now been extended to Thursday, July 15. Registration for the July 17 session at Nanaimo’s John Barsby Community School (Emergency First Aid and CPR Course only) has also been extended to Thursday. Spots are limited. Register now by clicking here.

Registration for the July 24-25 Vernon session is now open. The official location of the session will be announced by early next week. We apologize for the delay. Please register now and if following the announcement of the location you are forced to cancel, please e-mail communications@playfootball.bc.ca or call (604) 677-1025. Registration for this session is now open and will close on Thursday, July 22. Register now by clicking here.

The remaining schedule for the Summer Medical Sessions are as follows:

July 17-18: Vancouver – Notre Dame Regional Secondary (REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO JULY 15)

July 17: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School 
(REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO JULY 15)

July 24-25: Vernon – Location TBD 
(registration opens July 14, closes July 22)

August 8: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 7-8: New Westminster - Location TBD 
(registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 13/15: Prince George - Location TBD 
(registration opens August 4, closes August 10)

August 21-22: Langley - Location TBD 
(registration opens August 11, closes August 17)


Each day’s session runs from approximately 9:00am to 6:00pm.

Full information on Football BC’s Summer Medical Seminars, including course descriptions/curriculums, can be found at the Safety page.

Registration for the July 10-11 offering of the Summer Medical Seminar at Langley’s Sandman Hotel has been extended to Thursday, July 8. Spots are limited. Register now by clicking here.

Registration for the July 17-18 session at Vancouver’s Notre Dame Regional Secondary and the July 17 session at Nanaimo’s John Barsby Community School (Emergency First Aid and CPR course only) is also open now. Registration for these sessions will close on Tuesday, July 13 so register now.

Full information on Football BC’s Summer Medical Seminars, including course descriptions/curriculums, can be found at the Safety page.

The Seattle Seahawks are returning to Vancouver with their Play 60 tour and will be hosting their popular Gatorade Junior Training Camp on Thursday, July 15.

This FREE youth football clinic is open for kids aged 8-14 and will feature appearances by Josh Wilson (Seahawks starting cornerback), David Hawthorne (Seahawks starting linebacker) and members of the BC Lions Alumni. Also, the Sea Gals cheerleading squad will be hosting free dance lessons and the Blue Thunder marching band will be offering free drum lessons.

The camp takes place on Thursday, July 15 from 2pm-4pm at the Vancouver College Football Field located at 5400 Cartier Street in Vancouver, BC.

To register, visit http://www.seahawks.com/community/youth-football/play60-tour.html.

Members of the Sea Gals cheerleading squad will also be performing during half time of the BC Lions game on July 16 versus the Montreal Alouettes. The game kicks off at 7pm at Empire Fields, located at Renfrew and Cassiar St.

Registration is now open for Football BC's summer medical seminar series. These two-day seminars are comprised of the "Emergency First Aid and CPR
Course" on the first day and "Sports First Aid Course" on the second day. The Sports First Aid Course is football-specific and also includes concussion-related education.

(Note: If you have received prior first aid training beyond basic first aid, you may be eligible to skip the “Emergency First Aid and CPR course.” For further clarification, please e-mail communications@playfootball.bc.ca.)

• Click here to download the course description for the “Emergency First Aid and CPR Course.”
  

• Click here to download the curriculum for the “Sports First Aid Course.”

The courses and available locations are as follows:

July 10-11: Langley – Sandman Hotel (registration extended to July 8)

July 17-18: Vancouver – Notre Dame Regional Secondary (registration opens July 7, closes July 13)

July 17: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School (Emergency First Aid and CPR course only. Registration opens July 7, closes July 13)

July 24-25: Vernon - Location TBD (registration opens July 14, closes July 20)

August 8: Nanaimo - John Barsby Community School (Sports First Aid Course only. Registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 7-8: New Westminster - Location TBD (registration opens July 27, closes August 3)

August 13/15: Prince George - Location TBD (registration opens August 4, closes August 10)

August 21-22: Langley - Location TBD (registration opens August 11, closes August 17)

Each day’s session begins at 9:00am and goes to approximately 6:00pm.

Registration is required. Click here to register.

Please note that only one person per club or school can register per session. Any additional registrants from the same club or school for the same session will be disregarded. The cost to attend is free for all Football BC members but there will be a $200 charge for no-shows.

Cancellations must be phoned in to Football BC at 604-677-1025 and must be confirmed by the Wednesday prior to each session.
     

• The “education program” is not a formal course or a classroom session. Rather, we require that coaches review all the information sent from Footbal BC and ensure that the information is circulated to all coaches/staff within the organization as well as to all the athletes/parents. If possible, encourage the information to be posted on each club’s or association’s website as well. The resources can be found in the links below.
• Football BC has received permission from the Oregon Center for Applied Science, who has created a 20-minute online concussion seminar for coaches. All BC coaches may access this online tool for free. To do so, visit http://activecoach.orcasinc.com and register.
• Football BC will have viewable concussion seminar video online by the end of the month to facilitate coaches who would have difficulty attending in-person one of the concussion seminars to be offered later this summer.
• Football BC will be running concussion seminars during the summer time which will further give coaches the opportunity to receive education in concussion management. These information sessions will be conducted by medical doctors.
• Football BC will also be providing concussion cards free of charge to associations and schools which will be distributed to all coaches, team personnel, parents and athletes.

2. Have informed consent forms signed annually by parents and youth athletes acknowledging the risk of head injury prior to practice or competition.

• This form is the “Football BC Concussion Parent-Athlete Consent Form” which can be downloaded in the link below.

3. Remove any athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury from play – “when in doubt, sit them out”.

• This refers to all practices and/or games.

4. Ensure that all athletes who have been removed from play as a result of a suspected head injury or concussion have written clearance from a licensed medical doctor prior to returning from play.

• This clearance must be provided to Football BC upon request.

Use the following links to download the resources that your association requires to comply with the new policy:

Concussion Information Sheet for Athletes

Concussion Information Sheet for Coaches

Concussion Information Sheet for Parents

Football BC Concussion Parent-Athlete Consent Form

Concussion Information Card (developed by ThinkFirst Canada)

Football BC Concussion Policy

The Football BC concussion policy is designed to ensure that all participants in amateur football understand the risk and potentially devastating effects of head injuries. Its purpose, through education for all parties involved, is to provide the safest possible setting for youth athletes.

Education Links:

The following are concussion-related stories that have been published in the last two years that demonstrate the dangers of concussions and head injuries particularly in football and some of the measures that have been undertaken by various institutions to increase player safety. Football BC encourages all members to visit the following links to gain a better appreciation of just how serious an issue concussion-safety is and why Football BC chose this time to announce its new policy.


From November 2008 & July 2009 CBC Fifth Estate: What is killing Professional Football Players

From September 2009 GQ Magazine: Game Brain

From January 2010 Time Magazine cover story: The most Dangerous Game. How to fix football

From October 2009 60 Minutes: Football Brain Damage

From January 2010 Vancouver Sun, Stephen Hume: Time to take head injuries seriously

From February 2010 Vancouver Sun, Stephen Hume: US Takes Action on concussions while we continue to talk about it.

From March 2010 National Federation of State High School Associations: Concussion Rule Revised, Strengthened in High School Football

From April 2010 Brain Damage Blog: NCAA tweaks football, wrestling rules to protect athletes against concussions

From May 2010 ESPN & Associated Press: NFL Commissioner Urges Concussion rules for all youth sports

From Football Canada 2010-2011: The Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football – Concussion Management (page ii)
     

• Football BC Concussion Policy 
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Athletes
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Parents/Guardians
  
• Concussion Information Sheet for Coaches
  
• Concussion Information Card (developed by ThinkFirst Canada)
  
• Parents and Athletes Consent Form – to fill out and return to your coaches

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new Football BC concussion policy, please e-mail communications@playfootball.bc.ca.

For more information on concussion and head injuries, please visit ThinkFirst’s website at www.thinkfirst.ca.
       
                           

1. An informed consent must be signed annually by parents and youth athletes acknowledging the risk of head injury prior to practice or competition;
   
2.  An athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury must be removed from play – “when in doubt, sit them out”; and
   
3. An athlete who has been removed from play must receive written clearance from a licensed medical doctor prior to returning to play.

The full Football BC concussion policy can be downloaded here.
                           

Football Canada is asking members of the Football family to take five minutes to fill out a short online survey.

The survey is focused on gaining information about Football participation, coaching, officiating and volunteer/manager roles. The goal of the survey is to gain a clear perspective on the Football community in Canada, including an understanding of member participation in the areas of Tackle, Touch and Flag Football. Some questions pertaining to facility/venue usage are also included.

Click here to take the survey.

The British Columbia Football Association is looking for individuals interested in becoming Football Officials for the upcoming BC High School Football Leagues and the GSL Community Football League.

BCFOA is hosting a training session on Saturday, May 29, 2010 from 9:00 am to 4:30pm free-of-charge at Holy Cross High School in Surrey, BC.

For more information, download the brochure or visit www.bcfoa.ca.

Football BC has unveiled the list of 97 players that have earned a training camp invitation and will compete for a roster spot on the provincial under-18 team that will represent British Columbia at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

The full list of invited players can be downloaded here. Testing results for players that attended any of the four identification camps can be found here. 

Training camp dates and times will be announced shortly.

The following is a statement released by Team B.C. head coach Tom Kudaba thanking all the players who attended an identification camp and
congratulating the players that have been invited to training camp:

"Over the last two weeks, the 2010 coaching staff of the provincial U-18 team assessed some 200-plus players at camps in Nanaimo, Kamloops, Abbotsford and New Westminster. On behalf of all the coaches, I would like to say that it was indeed a pleasure to have worked with all the athletes who came out to demonstrate their athletic skills. I would also like to say that all the coaches were impressed with the overall talent level of the players and this is a tribute to the players and the coaches of the programs they play with. The talent pool in our province continues to improve and with the renewal of Football BC's commitment to national championship participation, it bodes well for our province's success at such competitions.

I would personally like to thank all the players for their efforts and remind them that hard work and training may not always help you reach your goals but it does make you a better athlete and person. For those who were not selected, keep your dedication and commitment growing. For those who do get to continue on, one step is taken but more are ahead. We'll be in touch regarding details shortly."

Please check the Coaches' section of Football BC’s website for the latest updated schedule on course offerings. 

Looking to showcase your products to individuals from all over the football world?

Sign up to become an Exhibitor at the upcoming Football BC Conference 2010 to be held at Douglas College on May 28-29, 2010.

For just $350, you will receive a table in the highly visible exhibitor’s hall, your company logo included in the Conference program, a chance to provide a handout to all the attendees, and much, much more.

For more information on this exciting opportunity, download the Exhibitors Information package or contact Dino Geremia at 604-816-5157 or by e-mail at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

Football BC Conference 2010 is an exciting two-day football conference that will take place on May 28-29 at Douglas College in New Westminster, B.C. and will feature presentations from some of the top personnel at all levels of football.

The conference is open to everyone involved in football including coaches, trainers, strength and conditioning specialists, administrators and officials. The cost is just $65 for Football BC members or $350 for a team (maximum of eight attendees). The price includes the two-day conference as well as a continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday.


To register, download the conference brochure and fill out the registration form and mail the form along with a cheque payable to “Football BC” to:

Football BC Conference 2010
Suite 434 – 6540 Hastings St.
Burnaby, BC V5B 4Z5

More information on speakers and conference schedules will be made available at www.playfootball.bc.ca as they become available.

For those interested in having a display booth at the event, please contact Dino Geremia at 604-816-5157 or by e-mail at dinogeremia@shaw.ca.

The British Columbia Football Conference has released their upcoming schedule for the 2010 season.

The six-team league will all open play on Saturday, July 24th as part of an 11-week regular season (all teams get a bye on Labour Day weekend). Semi-final playoff games are set for the weekend of October 9/10 and the Cullen Cup final will take place the following weekend.

This year, the BCFC will host the CJFL Intergold Game facing the champions of the Ontario Football Conference on the weekend of October 30/31. The winner of that contest will go on to face the champions of the Prairie Football Conference on the weekend of November 13/14 at the Canadian Bowl.

The Vancouver Island Raiders are the defending CJFL Canadian Bowl Champions.

To download the full BCFC schedule, visit the BCFC website or click here.

The Surrey Rams Alumni Association is holding their second annual charity golf tournament and dinner on May 2 at the Hazelmere Golf and Country Club on May 2, 2010.

Last year, the Rams presented a star-studded event that was attended by many current and former CFL stars including Geroy Simon, Jim Mills and Daved Benefield along with Rams alumni Paul McCallum and Will Loftus.

Tickets are just $200 for both golf and dinner or $100 for dinner only. All proceeds go to the Rams players. This event expects to be sold out so book your foursome today.

For more information or to book a spot, contact Gord Querin or Chris Swartz.

Click here to download the tournament brochure.


The Rams are also looking for prospective sponsors for the 2010 BCFC season. Becoming a sponsor is a great way to create awareness for your business and support your community all at the same time.

For more on becoming a Rams sponsor for the 2010 season, download the Sponsorship Package.

Full Speed Football is still accepting registrations for the Receiver Camp to be held May 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 at John Oliver Park in Delta, BC.

The camp is run in conjunction with the Quarterback Academy, which is completely full at this time. The cost of the camp is $150 and includes camp shorts and t-shirt.

Full Speed Football also offers a wide selection of camps for other age groups, positions and genders. For a full list of their camps, please visit http://www.fullspeedfootball.com/Camps.html.

For more information, please contact Ciaran Feenan at cfeenan@fullspeedfootball.com.

UBC Thunderbirds 2010/11 Football Camp schedule

The UBC Thunderbirds have released their schedule for football camps in the 2010/11 season.

The various camps are designed for players between the ages of 11 to 18 and are run by the UBC coaching staff and will also feature special guests to ensure the highest level of coaching is provided.

A full listing of all upcoming camps is available by downloading the UBC Football Camps brochure. To register for any camp, please go to www.ubccamps.ca or call the UBC Camps office at 604-822-6121. For additional information on any of the UBC Football Camps, please e-mail Camp Coordinator Paul Orazietti at pauloraz@interchange.ubc.ca. 

Want to have your skills evaluated and trained by some of the top CFL players and coaches? Sign up for this year’s Miles of Fitness Skills Camp happening on May 15-16 at the Cloverdale Athletic Park.

The camp, designed for players aged 13-17, is hosted by former BC Lions All-Star and current Lions defensive backs coach Barron Miles. The camp is only $150 and there are only 50 openings.

For registration details, visit www.milesoffitness.com or call (604) 576-8331. Click here to download the camp brochure

Football BC would like to encourage all their members to sign up for the CABC’s ENews – a free monthly e-mail update from the CABC.

The e-mail provides the latest news and information about seminars, grants and scholarship awards and other coach related information. Members also receive information about discounts and special member offers.

To sign up, visit the CABC website. 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Football BC announced today the coaching staff for the provincial under-18 team that will represent British Columbia at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

Leading the staff as head coach is Tom Kudaba, co-head coach of the 2006 and 2008 B.C. High School Sr. AAA Provincial Champions Terry Fox Ravens. Kudaba will also be in charge of the offensive line. Joining Kudaba will be his co-head coach from the Ravens, Martin McDonnell, who will be in charge of the running backs.

W.J. Mouat Hawks head coach Denis Kelly will serve as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach while former UBC Thunderbirds defensive coordinator Dino Geremia will be the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Rounding out the coaching staff is Kris Pechet (Seaquam Seahawks) in charge of receivers, Ray Moon (South Delta Sun Devils) in charge of the defensive line, and Alexis Sanschagrin (Mt. Douglas Rams) in charge of the defensive backs.

• Download the full press release (pdf file)
• Q&A with Team B.C. head coach Tom Kudaba (pdf file)
• Player registration form (pdf file)
  
  

BC Lions and CFL veteran Bobby Singh will be holding his 2nd Annual Non-Contact Football Camp for kids aged 8-15 on May 22nd at Minoru Park in Richmond, BC. Joining Bobby will be San Francisco 49ers Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Uyeyama as well as several CFL stars including Geroy Simon, Casey Printers, Brent Johnson, Davis Sanchez and many more.

The cost of the one-day camp is only $125 if you pre-register at www.downsethutfootball.com  or $135 for same-day registration. Included in the cost is a camp T-shirt, a Down Set Hut Football water bottle, lunch and several cool prizes. Visit the website for more information.

A portion of the proceeds from the camp will benefit members of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vancouver and the Zajac Ranch for Children.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – VANCOUVER, B.C. – Football BC announced today that the identification camps previously scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at WJ Mouat High School in Abbotsford, B.C. and for Sunday, April 18 at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops, B.C. have been re-scheduled. Hillside Stadium will now host an identification camp on Saturday, April 17 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm and WJ Mouat High School will host an identification camp on Sunday, April 18 from 11:00am to 3:00pm.

The identification camps are free of charge and open to all age eligible players who were registered members of Football BC last season. The complete revised schedule for all identification camps are as follows:

Players attending the identification camps are asked to bring their picture ID showing proof of age, helmet, shoulder pads, mouth guard, practice jersey, football shoes and shorts. A player cannot attend more than one identification camp.

The 2010 Football Canada Cup is being held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010. To be eligible, all players must be under 18 as of July 31, 2010 and must be born in no later than 1994. (If a player turns 18 on August 1, 2010, he will be eligible to play).

• Download press release (pdf file)
  
  

VANCOUVER, B.C. – In keeping with Football BC mandate that all officials must have a Level 1 certificate to work any sanctioned Football BC game. There are 4 levels in the CFOA certification program.

This year BCFOA and LMFRA will educate and train 22 officials from around the Province at a Level 3 Clinic on March 27 and 28th. This is an invitational only Clinic for Officials that have achieved the Level 2 theory and on-field evaluations. Football BC is both a supporter and sponsor of these clinics.

An experienced list of instructors from the CFL and CIS will be presenting a variety of Level 3 topics throughout the weekend.

• Larry Rohan, Former CFL Official and CFL, CIS, BCFC Supervisor of Officials
  
  
• Carey Anderson, Twelve year CFL Official
  
  
• Dave Hawkshaw, Five year CFL Official
  
  
• Parry Steen, One year CFL Official
  
  
• Bob Scott, Former CFL Official and Current CIS, BCFC Official
  
  
• Darryl Hern, CIS & BCFC Official

BCFOA Contact:
Ken McKinnon
KMckinnon2@aol.com 

Sign up now for Spring Coaches Clinic 2010

Centaur Products Inc. is presenting the Spring Coaches Clinic 2010 taking place at Simon Fraser University on April 17, 2010.

This one-day event features an amazing list of presenters including UBC head coach Shawn Olson, SFU head coach Dave Johnson, BC Lions Special Teams coordinator Chuck McMann and many, many more. The clinic will cover topics ranging from quarterback techniques to D-line play to kicking techniques.

Cost is only $40 if you pre-book ($50 at the door). For more information, download the brochure or contact Lance Heron at hounddog11@shaw.ca or 604-826-7191.

About 200 fans braved the weather on Saturday at Simon Fraser University and were treated to a fantastic Senior Bowl game that saw Team East rebound from a 17-0 deficit to post an 18-17 victory over Team East in the annual all-star showcase.

A full recap of the game, along with a camp review and a list of award winners, can be found here.  Special thanks to all the coaches, players, staff and volunteers for making the 2010 Senior Bowl a success.

Anybody interested in a DVD copy of the 2010 Senior Bowl game should contact Marcus Mullen at mulloon18@gmail.com. 

The 2010 Senior Bowl, presented by the British Columbia Football Conference, will take place on Saturday, March 13 at Burnaby’s Simon Fraser University’s Terry Fox Field. Kickoff is 1pm PT and admission is free.

The Senior Bowl roster is comprised of the top amateur football players in the province of British Columbia that will be graduating from high school in 2010. The head coach for the 2010 Senior Bowl is Dino Geremia, former defensive coordinator for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Players who have participated in
previous Senior Bowls include current BC Lions players Justin Sorensen, Angus Reid and Paris Jackson....

• Download complete press release 
  (pdf file)
  
  
• Q&A with 2010 Senior Bowl head coach Dino Geremia
  (pdf file)

British Columbia is returning to the Football Canada Cup with an under-18 team at the tournament to be held from 
July 10 – 17, 2010 at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS and coaching staff positions are now open.

Interested individuals should send a brief cover letter and a copy of their coaching resume to coach Pat Waslen at PatWaslen@aol.com.

In addition to competition dates, coaches must also be available for the 2010 selection camps to be held during April-May 2010, training camp to be held during May long weekend (May 22 - 24, 2010), as well as Main camp which runs from July 6 - 9, 2010.

2010 Orange Helmet Awards Tickets On Sale Now

Come celebrate the cream of the crop in BC amateur football in this special annual fundraising event that raises thousands of dollars for amateur football in British Columbia. This year’s event will be held at the brand new Vancouver Convention Center and will feature former CFL and NFL superstar QB Doug Flutie as the keynote speaker. Doug’s brother Darren Flutie, also a former prominent CFL receiver and media personality, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The amateur football rate for this event is just $175 per plate ($1,750 for a table of ten) plus GST. For reservations, call 604.930.5466.  
For more information, click here. 

Football BC to Field Under-18 All-Star Team at the 2010 Football Canada Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

[ Download PDF Press Release ]

Vancouver, B.C. – Football BC announced today that they will fielding an all-star under-18 team to be comprised of eligible players from British Columbia to compete at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

This marks the first time that British Columbia has sent a provincial team to compete at the Football Canada Cup since 2000 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. B.C. previously fielded teams for the U-19 competition in 1993, 1995 and from 1997-2000. B.C. captured their first and only Football Canada Cup championship on home turf in 1999 in the tournament held at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

“Football BC is very excited to once again compete in the Football Canada Cup,” said Football BC Executive Director Patrick Waslen. “The football talent produced in British Columbia is second to none and we are looking forward to giving the top players in this Province an opportunity to compete against the best players across Canada.”

Information on player tryouts as well applications for coaching and support personnel will be announced at a later date. To be eligible for the 2010 event, all players must be under the age of 18 as of July 31, 2010 and must be born no later than 1994. Schedule information will be made available by Football Canada in the New Year.


About the Football Canada Cup:

The Football Canada Cup championship started in 1995 as a National Under-19 Championship for High School and Midget players. In 2004, the FCC welcomed an Under-17 division. The event has welcome players from British Columbia to Nova Scotia through its 16 years.

The 2010 event moves to a new format which will reach an age group that supports provincial development across the country. The event will be a National Under-18 Championship and will, for the first time in the event’s history, have the greatest number of Provincial representation.

The Provinces that are participating in the 2010 Football Canada Cup are: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

Registration Now Open for 
2010 Jay Prepchuk QB Camp and Power2Perform Receivers Academy

These highly popular and specialized camps designed specifically for Quarterbacks and Receivers will fill up fast so don't miss out on your opportunity to take part in the 2010 sessions.

For more information on the Quarterback Academy, 
click here (PDF file). 

For more information on the Receivers Academy, 
click here (PDF file).  

Registration is first come, first served so don't delay. The registration fee is $250. For more information, contact power2perform@telus.net or call 604-980-5653.

To register, download and fill out the Registration Form and send it to the contact information provided.

2009 Subway Bowl Photo Gallery

Re-live the best moments of the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships held on December 4-5, 2009 as well as the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet by checking out the photo galleries that are posted on our Football BC Facebook page. While you are there, don’t forget to become a Fan of Football BC on Facebook!

All photos from the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships are courtesy of Ray Shum and Tempest Photo.

For a complete gallery of all the photos taken at this weekend’s Subway Bowl, visit the links posted on our Facebook page. To order high resolution pictures taken the respective championship games and/or the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet, contact Ray Shum at tempestphoto@hotmail.com.


 

Come celebrate the cream of the crop in BC amateur football in this special annual fundraising event that raises thousands of dollars for amateur football in British Columbia. This year’s event will be held at the brand new Vancouver Convention Center and will feature former CFL and NFL superstar QB Doug Flutie as the keynote speaker. Doug’s brother Darren Flutie, also a former prominent CFL receiver and media personality, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The amateur football rate for this event is just $175 per plate ($1,750 for a table of ten) plus GST. For reservations, call 604.930.5466.  
For more information, click here. 

Football BC to Field Under-18 All-Star Team at the 2010 Football Canada Cup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

[ Download PDF Press Release ]

Vancouver, B.C. – Football BC announced today that they will fielding an all-star under-18 team to be comprised of eligible players from British Columbia to compete at the 2010 Football Canada Cup to be held at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia from July 10 – 17, 2010.

This marks the first time that British Columbia has sent a provincial team to compete at the Football Canada Cup since 2000 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. B.C. previously fielded teams for the U-19 competition in 1993, 1995 and from 1997-2000. B.C. captured their first and only Football Canada Cup championship on home turf in 1999 in the tournament held at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

“Football BC is very excited to once again compete in the Football Canada Cup,” said Football BC Executive Director Patrick Waslen. “The football talent produced in British Columbia is second to none and we are looking forward to giving the top players in this Province an opportunity to compete against the best players across Canada.”

Information on player tryouts as well applications for coaching and support personnel will be announced at a later date. To be eligible for the 2010 event, all players must be under the age of 18 as of July 31, 2010 and must be born no later than 1994. Schedule information will be made available by Football Canada in the New Year.


About the Football Canada Cup:

The Football Canada Cup championship started in 1995 as a National Under-19 Championship for High School and Midget players. In 2004, the FCC welcomed an Under-17 division. The event has welcome players from British Columbia to Nova Scotia through its 16 years.

The 2010 event moves to a new format which will reach an age group that supports provincial development across the country. The event will be a National Under-18 Championship and will, for the first time in the event’s history, have the greatest number of Provincial representation.

The Provinces that are participating in the 2010 Football Canada Cup are: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

Registration Now Open for 
2010 Jay Prepchuk QB Camp and Power2Perform Receivers Academy

These highly popular and specialized camps designed specifically for Quarterbacks and Receivers will fill up fast so don't miss out on your opportunity to take part in the 2010 sessions.

For more information on the Quarterback Academy, 
click here (PDF file). 

For more information on the Receivers Academy, 
click here (PDF file).  

Registration is first come, first served so don't delay. The registration fee is $250. For more information, contact power2perform@telus.net or call 604-980-5653.

To register, download and fill out the Registration Form and send it to the contact information provided.

2009 Subway Bowl Photo Gallery

Re-live the best moments of the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships held on December 4-5, 2009 as well as the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet by checking out the photo galleries that are posted on our Football BC Facebook page. While you are there, don’t forget to become a Fan of Football BC on Facebook!

All photos from the 2009 Subway Bowl Championships are courtesy of Ray Shum and Tempest Photo.

For a complete gallery of all the photos taken at this weekend’s Subway Bowl, visit the links posted on our Facebook page. To order high resolution pictures taken the respective championship games and/or the Subway Bowl Awards Banquet, contact Ray Shum at tempestphoto@hotmail.com.


 

 -- Press Releases --

• Mar. 11 2010 - 2010 Senior Bowl Takes Place Saturday, March 13 at Simon Fraser University
  (pdf file)
  

• Dec 15, 2009 - Football BC to Field Under-18 All-Star Team at the 2010 Football Canada Cup (pdf file)
  

• Dec 1, 2009 - B.C. High School Football Announces Championship Schedules for all Divisions (pdf file)
  

• Nov 27, 2009 - Local Amateur Football in BC weekend of Nov. 28 - 29 (pdf file)
  

• Nov 24, 2009 - High School Football Semi-Final Playoff Dates (pdf file)
  

• Nov 17, 2009 - High School Football Quarter-Final Playoff Dates (pdf file)
  

• BC High School Football Playoffs Opens First Round this Weekend with Ten Games (pdf file)

 -- H1N1 Information --

Football BC would like to encourage all its members to take extra precautions to help prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus.

Football BC has compiled a list of links and resources regarding the H1N1 flu virus for your reference.

Click here to download a PDF with more information.

 -- Camps and Clinics --

Click here for more information on upcoming
Football Camps and Clinics

 Football BC at the 2009 BC Lions Salute 
to Amateur Football

On October 2nd, the BC Lions hosted their annual Salute to Amateur Football night by showcasing several amateur football teams from BC during the half-time show. Football BC took part in the festivities and we have the picture to prove it.

Visit our Facebook page to check out our photos from the event and while you’re there, don’t forget to become a Fan of Football BC on Facebook!

 City of Vancouver seeking input on new Synthetic Turf Field locations

The City of Vancouver is hosting several open houses and is inviting members of the public to attend and learn about proposed synthetic turf fields. Members of the football community are encouraged to attend these open houses to give their input on where you would like to see these fields being built and to help ensure that these fields will be football friendly as well.

The open houses are being held in order to gather public input into where the next two fields should be built. The following sites have been shortlisted for consideration:

• Jericho Park (east or west field) – 
  1700 Discovery St.
  

• Memorial South Park Oval or NW Field – 
  41st Avenue at Prince Albert
  

• Rupert Park North – Rupert at Kitchener
  

• Beaconsfield Park all-weather field – 
  Slocan and 17th Ave.
  

Open houses will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at the following Community Centres:

• September 23: Renfrew Community Centre, 
  2929 E. 22nd Ave.
  

• September 24: West Point Grey Community Centre,
  4937 W. 2nd Ave.
  

• September 28: Sunset Community Centre, 
  6810 Main St.
  

• October 1: Hastings Community Centre, 
  3096 E. Hastings

For more information, please visit the Vancouver Park Board website. 

Reminder to clubs to send in 
Gaming Grant Information

Football BC would like to remind all member clubs that have issues regarding gaming rights in 2009 to contact Football BC Executive Director Pat Waslen and send the following information related to your 2009 Gaming application:

• 2008 Grant Amount;

• Date 2009 Grant application submitted;

• Amount Requested for 2009;

• Date of any replies from Gaming;

• What the replies said;

• Amount of 2009 Grant;

• Date 2009 Grant received; and/or

• Date 2009 Grant turned down.

Please e-mail Pat Waslen at patwaslen[at]aol.com with your information. The sooner Football BC receives your information, the better.

The Home Depot 
NFL Youth Coach of the Year

Football BC would like to remind all CIS players that nominations for The Home Depot NFL Coach of the Year are now being accepted. For more information or to nominate your high school or community coach, visit www.nflcanada.com and look for the nomination form under the ‘Programs’ section of the website. The deadline for submissions if November 5th.

Chunky MVC: Most Valuable Coach Contest

Campbell’s Chunky and TSN are teaming up with the Coaching Association of Canada in recognizing the contributions of an estimated 1.8 million Canadian coaches. The program encourages Canadians who are involved in community, amateur and competitive sports to nominate a coach who has made a real difference in their lives and the lives of others by reflecting and promoting the values of leadership, activeness and community. The winner will receive a prize package valued at $25,000 for his or her athletes and community.

Nominations will be accepted from September 14, 2009 to January 6, 2010. You must have your coach’s consent prior to nomination and must provide your coach’s contact information. For more information and to nominate your coach, visit www.chunkymvc.ca.

-- PRESS RELEASES --

Reebok-CFL Best move competition is now underway

August 26, 2009

Reebok Football wants you to vote for your favourite CFL moves for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2009 Grey Cup Game in Calgary as well as great weekly prizes.

Your vote will determine which CFL player earns the bragging rights as the player with the Reebok-CFL Best Move. The players involved in the competition are: Jesse Lumsden (EDM), Kamau Peterson (EDM), Weston Dressler (SSK), Wes Cates (SSK), Henry Burris (CGY), Wes Lysack (CGY), Marwan Hage (HAM), Prechae Rodriguez (HAM), Agustin Barrenechea (HAM), Andre Talbot (TOR), Zeke Moreno (TOR), Anthony Calvillo (MTL), Anwar Stewart (MTL), Matthieu Proulx (MTL), as well as B.C. boys Doug Brown (WPG – New Westminster) and Paris Jackson (BCL - Vancouver). 

Participation is free and easy. Contest runs until October 30, 2009. Vote daily, invite friends, and answer trivia to increase your chances of winning great prizes. For more information, visit the Reebok Football website.

 -- Health Advisory --

• Swine Influenza Virus Under Surveillance 
  (PDF File)
  

 
CFL Salutes Bob Ackles

-- RECALL NOTICE --

NIKE FOOTBALL CHIN STRAP RECALL

Nike Recalls Football Helmet Chin Straps Which Can Break and Pose Risk of Serious Injury

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08081.html 

 -- Senior Bowl 2009 --

Senior Bowl 2009 Roster Selections (PDF File)
Updated March 13, 2009

Reminder the official Sr. Bowl list is kept in the Football BC Office, the web listing is for information only.

Click here for more information on Senior Bowl 2009