Saskatoon’s 6-ON-6 spirit: "half the players and twice the athletes"

Guebert spoke passionately about the game when asked about the best way to grow its popularity:

“6-on-6 allows multiple players to touch the ball and get involved in the game. It’s high scoring and highly entertaining. A lot of people will say, ‘it’s not traditional football’, but give it a chance. In Saskatchewan, we use the slogan It’s half the players and twice the athletes. It really allows athletes to shine on the football field and be great at what they do.”

Considering the size of some of the schools in the province, it’s 6-a-side football or no football at all.

“Some Saskatchewan schools only have 20 boys in the whole school. Once schools see what football does to your community in terms of the fanfare that can surround it and it also builds community within the school. I think that’s something very important,”said Guebert.

The rule differences aren’t as large as you’d expect either. Other than the size of the field and number of players, Guebert says there are very few.

“To be honest, there aren’t a whole lot of differences. I think the biggest thing is the number of ineligible versus eligible players. There’s only one ineligible player on offence and that’s the guy in the center of the line. Everyone else is eligible to go get a pass. Typically, as a defence, you’re forced into man coverage which really challenges you in terms of your athleticism.”

The speed of the game is another contrast, one Guebert sees as an advantage to the 6-a-side game for player development.

“The game happens so fast in terms of getting to the quarterback, it forces you to be quick-thinking and quick on your feet to make plays happen.”

One thing Guebert preaches, whether it is 6-man or 12-man football, is the need for skill generalization.

“It’s important as a coach to teach our kids how to play a variety of positions simply to increase their football IQ. I believe a smart player is a faster player regardless of their athletic attributes.”

The 5’9” ex-lineman says the skills he learned in high school served him in the CFL. He knew how to long snap and kick and ended up as a tight end and fullback as a professional. Especially in minor football, Guebert stresses fundamentals.

“You get kids with an empty toolbox and the more tools you can give them to do a variety of jobs, the more skilled they’re going to be and the better understanding they’re going to have of the whole job. That goes a long way to serve the quality football player. I played with some fantastic athletes that never knew how to catch!”

The ex-Winnipeg Blue Bomber believes the skill development leads to a lifelong football experience. If an athlete can catch and throw and run routes, he or she is able to play flag football their entire lives.

The 6-man league in Saskatoon has grown from 8 teams in 2009 to 32 for this summer. Guebert also finds players who grow up playing 6-man are far more adaptable to change in system or body-type and are more likely play football longer.

“Is it fair to tell a chubby 10-year-old that he has to play offensive line? That kid could hit a growth spurt and lean out, but nobody ever showed him how to catch…Aren’t we doing a disservice to that kid by not teaching him the fundamental skills?”