The little league that can: MFLM makes football accessible to everyone

The Midget Football League of Manitoba is enjoying the effect of pigskin fever in the province, which is no doubt being spurred by the new stadium about to go up at the University of Manitoba.

The alternative to high school football in Manitoba, the MFLM is enjoying what league president Joe Doiron this week called a “rebirth.”

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One year after losing two teams, the league has regained a pair of franchises and will have seven squads compete for its championship this fall.

“We’re the little league that can,” Doiron said. “We’re the little league that tries a little bit harder. We’re the little league, really, that’s there for everybody.”

The Fort Garry Lions return to the fold in 2010 after taking a leave of absence, while a new team from Pembina Valley will join the fray as well.

The MFLM’s growth this year is a bit surprising when you consider the Winnipeg High School Football League is also expanding this fall, adding three more teams to bring its total to 33.

A new high school team at Dakota has hurt registration numbers for the MFLM’s St. Vital Mustangs, but they will still field a squad.

“We will feel the impact this year, and we expect to rebound quite nicely next year,” said Doiron, who comes from the Mustangs organization.

St. Vital’s field in Maple Grove Park recently had lights installed, and the midget team hopes to be the first Mustangs squad to play a night game.

The MFLM, for players between the ages of 15 and 17, is well ahead of the curve when it comes to its website, which features hundreds of videos of game action. The clips are also on the MFLM’s Youtube channel, which has attracted more than 270,000 views since September 2007.

“What we try to do is make our game a little bit more interesting, offer a few more things,” Doiron said. “Our website is a tremendous website that Chris Holigroski has done a terrific job with.

“The website goes a long way to promoting these kids. They really enjoy seeing themselves.”

Doiron feels perhaps the MFLM, the alumni of which includes Calgary Stampeders safety Wes Lysack, had taken itself for granted lately, and he wants to remind young football players that there will always be another option if high school football doesn’t fit into their lives.

“We need to get ourselves out there a little bit more,” Doiron said. “Maybe there’s a little bit of complacency being in the community and expecting that access to the community.”

The league doesn’t fire up until mid-August, but the fifth annual Stroppa Bowl, pitting the North Winnipeg Nomads against the Mustangs, will be played on Sunday, June 6, at Frank Whyte Field. Proceeds will go to the Canadian Liver Foundation-Manitoba.