The three summer leagues in Ontario took a positive step recently when updating their age groupings to follow the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model developed from Football Canada in conjunction with Sport Canada. Ontario Football Alliance (OFA), the governing body of minor football in Ontario, is very pleased with this but president Ian Smith acknowledges this is the first step “to work (ing) together doing what is best for the young men & women who play this great game of football”.
In October 2009, there was a “football summit” in Ontario which brought together groups from minor football leagues, Football Canada, OUA, CJFL, and CFL. There were many important issues discussed during this meeting, this being one of them.
“This is the first goal of the Football Summit in Sept of 2009 in developing a strategy to bring order to the football community in Ontario. The need to follow the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) from Football Canada which brought a plan to the age bands and the implementation of it to the leagues would allow for provincial championships and national championships. This is the first year that all members of Ontario Football Alliance are playing within in the same age bands. ”
‘Calendar year’ age cutoffs is positive step for the sport in Ontario. CFC congratulates the Ontario Minor Football League (OMFL), Ontario Football Conference (OFC), and the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) for taking a positive first step…but don’t stop here. 🙂
2011 Age Groupings
OMFL Tyke (6 on 6): Birth years 2003-2004
OMFL Atom : Birth Years 2001-2002
OMFL & OFC Pee Wee: Birth Years 1999-2000
OVFL Pee Wee / OMFL & OFC Bantam : Birth Years 1997-1998
OVFL / OMFL / OFC Junior Varsity : Birth Years 1995-1996
OVFL / OMFL / OFC Varsity : Birth Years 1992-1994
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