YORKTON - Spring is in the air and that means it’s time for the Lady Gridder football team to recruit for its spring season.
“We’re hoping to get out there the first week of May and start practices,” said coach Tyrell MacLean, adding “we’ve got a couple of games lined up, and still hope to get one, or two more for the spring.”
While games are being scheduled, MacLean said the spring season for the Gridder program is a little different from the one in the fall, starting with a shorter season, and fewer practices.
The approach is a little different too.
“There’s a little more focus on development than the competition side,” said MacLean.
MacLean explained coaches are actually on field, giving in-game instruction in spring games.
As a result, MacLean said spring is a great time for new players “to give it a try to see if you like it.”
So far the response has been good, with about 24 registered and another 10, or so who played last fall that MacLean said they expect will be back. If the anticipated players are back, it will push numbers north of 30, and that has those involved with the program contemplating being able to split the team in half with a Junior and Senior squad.
MacLean said he believes running one program with players ranging from Grade 7 to Grade 12 is holding growth back, noting a lot of younger players don’t want to have to play against players up to five years older than they are.
So, the goal is to recruit a few more players this spring to allow for a split squad.
“We’d like to be able to split the team to give everybody a better opportunity playing against players of a similar age,” said MacLean.
For those wanting more information they can check out the Lady Gridder Football page on Facebook, and resister through Yorkton Minor Football.
