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Minor football getting ready for upcoming season

Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football is optimistic it will have games for its teams this year, and the squads have been getting ready for the upcoming season. President Kevin Mortenson said everything is still a go for 2020.
Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football
Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football is hopeful it will have games in 2020. File photo

Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football is optimistic it will have games for its teams this year, and the squads have been getting ready for the upcoming season.

President Kevin Mortenson said everything is still a go for 2020. They have been talking with Moose Jaw Minor Football, and all minor football organizations affiliated with those leagues – Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current, Assiniboia, Moosomin and Moose Jaw – want to play. 

“We’re excited to get some sort of a normal season going with everything that’s going on in the world,” said Mortenson.  

The two older teams – the Estevan Lions Club U15 Steelers and the Estevan U18 female Viragos – have been meeting on Tuesday nights. The younger Estevan Century 21 U13 Chargers and the Estevan U11 Power Dodge Cudas are on Thursday nights. Non-contact drills and cardio workouts have been taking place. 

The evenings have been warm, so that has helped the kids get in shape. 

Equipment pickup is scheduled for Aug. 13, and the following week, teams will likely start practising in equipment, unless they’re told otherwise by Football Saskatchewan or the Saskatchewan Health Authority. 

The Cudas will have six players on the field at once, while the other teams will have nine players at a time.  

Minor football could use more players, because people have been hesitant to sign up due to the uncertainty associated with COVID. They expect there will be a lot of late registrations, and minor football is asking that anyone who was part of minor football in 2019 to register now. 

“We want to concentrate on getting the kids on the field and practising … once we get the equipment on, not sitting in front of a keyboard getting everybody entered and registered.”  

Minor football is also looking for assistant coaches for the upcoming season.  

The Oilers have the best numbers right now with 26 kids. The Chargers have around 18 and the Cudas have 15. There’s enough players for each time, but they would be in trouble with injuries. 

There are about 13 for the Viragos, but earlier this year, when they held an information meeting at the Estevan Comprehensive School, 20 prospective players were present.

The Cudas play mini games on short fields, while the Oilers and Chargers make use of the full field over four 10-minute quarters.  

Mortenson said minor football has been sanitizing more than ever. They have sanitizing equipment on the field, and they’ve been cleaning everything else.

“We ordered spit guards. Basically it’s a full shield underneath the cage of the football helmet, just so they’re not sneezing or spitting on anybody on the field inadvertently. We ordered them because we thought there was going to be a shortage of them,” said Mortenson.

Minor football is trying to go over and above to keep kids, coaches and officials safe on the field, and spectators safe off of it.  

While there will be changes, he hopes youth football in Estevan will closely resemble what they played last year as much as possible.  

Minor football has also purchased four skid shacks from Campbell Oilfield Services, and they have been refurbished. Those buildings will be relocated to Chow Field, which is minor football’s practice facility.