Yellowknife NWT: First adult arena football league

Football Canada is very proud to announce their involvement with Yellowknife NWT Canada’s first adult Arena Football league.

Yellowknife’s Arena Football League is a new Adult Recreational 5 on 5 Flag Football League with eight teams (fifteen players per a roster) and many more knocking at their door for next year’s registration.

Football Canada Director of Sport Rick Sowieta comments
“ This is a huge movement for Football Canada, with this being the farthest northern location that Football is played in Canada.”

“ We want every part of the country exposed to Football and increase the awareness that this sport can be embraced by all ages either as a player, coach, officiating, spectator or administrator.”

Yellowknife invited Football Canada to be a part of their development of this year’s new Adult Flag Football League. First step was sending out some equipment, second was establishing a workshop for their officials to feel confident with rules, hand signals, positioning and control during the game.

Football Canada sent Cheryl Mason Non-Contact Coordinator to Yellowknife with the support of the Yellowknife Arena Football League to conduct their Official’s Development Training. There were ten Officials that attended in the workshop; Guy Kennedy, Cole Marshall, Clem Hand, Robert Paul, Brian Kelln, Harshen Manickum , Damien Healy, Dave Hurley, Spencer Lyman, Curtis Gibexu.

All Officials showed great knowledge and passion for Football. Each participant provided great topics of conversation for some interesting and well thought out plays they had seen in their pre season games. Cheryl Mason commented “ I was honored to meet each of these individuals. I look forward to working again with them, Yellowknife’s league & Sport North to provide as many communities as possible with the mechanics & tools to enjoy the benefits of Football.”

Flag Football can be played indoors, outdoors, co-ed, 5 on 5 or 7 on 7. Many schools at all ages embrace the opportunity of introducing this sport for variety, fun & to help with expansion of many sport specific skills, especially hand eye coordination. If you think your school would be interested in a complementary Flag Football starters kit please email [email protected] for an application.

Football Canada’s next step is to encourage Yellowknife’s league registrants to register with us for a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) in Football early 2011. These coaches can then be the front line of NWT’s Football Canada’s U16 League & U18 League beginnings.

Football Canada is also in partnership with Sport North in finding Football representatives & increasing not only Flag Football in the NWT’s but 6 A-Side Tackle Football as well. For more information on 6 A-Side Tackle Football email [email protected].

Learn more about the Yellowknife’s Flag Football League and their first ever Ice Bowl Tournament Dec 3-5th 2010 which your team can register for at [URL]http://www.ykafl.com/Default.htm.

Yours in Sport
Football Canada