The BC Football Conference is looking to expand and add a seventh team to the mix.
The Prince George Kodiaks have received conditional approval to join the junior football league for the 2022 season. They would play against Chilliwack香蕉视频直播檚 Valley Huskers along with the Langley Rams, Kamloops Broncos, Westshore (Victoria) Rebels, Vancouver Island (Nanaimo) Raiders and Okanagan (Kelowna) Sun.
Prince George would be the northernmost team in the BCFC, by far, located 521 kilometres up Highway 97-N from Kamloops.
The Rebels and Raiders in particular will face a daunting task getting to PG, and league president Tyler McLaren said travel is a concern.
香蕉视频直播淚t certainly is a challenge, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think anybody would disagree with that,香蕉视频直播� McLaren said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut the opportunity and potential exceeds the challenge, and anything that香蕉视频直播檚 worth pursuing, you find a solution.
McLaren suggested limiting trips from PG to the Island and vice versa, and also suggested the possibility of chartering aircraft to get teams back and forth.
Chilliwack香蕉视频直播檚 Valley Huskers face a 1,446 kilometre round trip, and Huskers president Tom Caverley said the extra travel will be 香蕉视频直播渃hallenging financially.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭o meet this challenge the BCFC will create schedules that limit the amount of travel,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎t one point or another we will be Prince George bound and looking forward to the competition.香蕉视频直播�
McLaren said it香蕉视频直播檚 the league香蕉视频直播檚 responsibility to help grow the game beyond its traditional centers, and bringing Prince George into the fold is a way to do that. PG and the surrounding area is a strong football market in its own right, with thriving high school and community teams.
香蕉视频直播淭his is a unique opportunity, and we feel this isn香蕉视频直播檛 just an opportunity to grow the sport at our level, but also at younger levels,香蕉视频直播� McLaren said. 香蕉视频直播淲e see it as an opportunity where kids who are 10, 12, 14 years old are going to come to a BCFC game and develop aspirations to one day play for the Kodiaks.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e expected to think big picture and what is good for the sport and this is a tremendous opportunity.香蕉视频直播�
BCFC rosters have been dotted with Prince George kids and Kodiaks president Craig Briere said one of the new team香蕉视频直播檚 main goals is to keep them at home.
He also shares McLaren香蕉视频直播檚 vision of growing the game.
香蕉视频直播淗ow can we grow football throughout Northern BC and expand into smaller communities such as Williams Lake, Quesnel, Terrace, Prince Rupert, Smithers and Burns Lake,香蕉视频直播� Briere said. 香蕉视频直播淚f you look at the football map, Northern BC is one of the more under-serviced areas in Canada. Football is such a diverse sport that allows for kids of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and economic status to participate, and I think we香蕉视频直播檇 be doing a disservice if we don香蕉视频直播檛 have football in these smaller towns.香蕉视频直播�
Briere said the Kodiaks hope to draw between two and three thousand people per game at Masich Place Stadium, and turn every home game into an event.
The Kodiaks will be guided by Keon Raymond, a former Canadian Football League star who won two Grey Cup titles with the Calgary Stampeders.
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
Like us on
