ESTEVAN — Another season for the teams in Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football (EMF) is about to begin.
Minor football will once again field four teams: the U10 Power Dodge Cudas, the U12 Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate Chargers, the U14 Estevan Lions Club Oilers and the U18 Estevan Kinette Club Viragos. The Viragos are a female football team.
The first game of the season for any team will be for the Chargers, who will face the Moose Jaw Spartans on Sept. 3 in Moose Jaw. The Chargers are the reigning champions in the Moose Jaw Minor Football League.
“I think there are a lot of kids who are excited that came back, because they want to defend their championship,” said EMF president Kevin Mortenson. “The coaches are excited.”
The title was the first for a team in the EMF in its 14-year history.
“You can’t even fathom how excited I am, that somebody is starting the year defending a championship,” said Mortenson. “We’ve definitely taken our lumps and bruises over the years.”
The Oilers open their season on Sept. 5 against the Moose Jaw Vikings.
The Viragos, meanwhile, have their first game of 2022 on Sept. 17 at home at 6 p.m. against the Yorkton Gridders. Mortenson, who is an assistant coach for the Viragos, said he sees a different attitude with the female team so far this season.
“We’ve been practising since the spring, the first or second weekend in May,” said Mortenson. “Mark Tribiger is the head coach again this year, and he has the girls fired up.”
They’re expecting to challenge for one of the four playoff spots in the five-team league this year.
The Cudas will play several jamborees with mini games against teams from Moose Jaw and Weyburn.
The annual Football Weekend in Estevan will run from Sept. 16-18. It will start with the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team playing the Yorkton Regional High School Gridders on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. The following day, the Chargers will host the Spartans at 1 p.m, the Oilers will face the Swift Current Steelers at 3 p.m. and the Viragos will play Yorkton at 6 p.m.
Estevan’s U10 jamboree starts at 11 a.m. on Sept. 18. All games will be played at the Dana Quewezance Memorial Field in Woodlawn Athletic Park.
The EMF will announce their Groceries for a Year fundraiser winner on Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and the winner receives a $7,500 gift card that can be used at any co-op location in the province. Other events for the weekend have yet to be decided.
Mortenson said the number of players signed up for football is lower than the past couple of years. The Cudas, for example, have 22 players and normally they would be at 30. It means they would only field one team at the jamborees.
The Oilers have 22 players, and with U14 teams playing with 12 players on the field at a time, it means some kids would have to play both offence and defence.
“I’m hopeful, and coach Paul Duncan is hopeful, that once school starts, there will be some rekindled interest,” said Mortenson.
Players can register to play until Sept. 6.
Mortenson believes the decline in numbers is due to the number of options available for families now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Kids are also trying other sports.
The Chargers and the Viragos each have approximately 30 players, which is a healthier number.
Coaches are also always welcome, Mortenson said, as long as they have the right attitude.
Anyone interested in joining the EMF can call Mortenson at 306-421-3377.
