Cory Smith, Niagara Falls Review

Wednesday February 13, 2013

 

\The Niagara Regional Minor Football Association, Niagara Spears and Niagara Generals will now be known as Football Niagara. Together, they hope to provide a consistent program that will improve player development from age 6 to 19.

 

“The Niagara region has tremendous talent. It’s just not as big as other centres,” Spears president Mark Fortier said during the announcement Wednesday afternoon in the Falls. “In order to stay competitive, we need to be smarter with how we do things.

 

”Members from all three organizations felt the step was necessary — and overdue — given the opportunities each provides.

 

The NRMFA, which started 14 years ago, has been the region’s house league program, while the Generals and Spears have offered rep football.

 

“It makes sense to have some continuity,” Generals president Dave Sauer said. “Our kids can start at bantam and end at varsity with the Spears.”

 

It will be up to the NRMFA to develop the youngest players before they move up.

 

“We can take a kid from six-years-old (in flag football) to 19, playing with continuity of the program and coaching,” minor football president John Fisher said. “It’s a huge amount (of time). We’ll be the feeder system, basically, for the Generals and Spears. It makes perfect sense to work together.”

 

Last weekend was a turning point as the Ontario Minor Football League (double-A) and Ontario Varsity Football League (triple-A) voted to merge into one league, creating the largest summer football league in the province.

 

The Generals’ atom (9-10) and peewee (11-12) teams will play in the OMFL, while both the Generals and Spears bantam teams will play in the OMFL and OVFL.

 

The Spears will play in both divisions in junior varsity (15-16) and varsity (17-19).

 

It’s a streamlined program offered in cities like Mississauga and Cambridge.

 

“We’ve noticed a competitive difference on the field,” Spears bantam head coach Simon Gichard said. “We’re chasing them sometimes with organization and player development.”

 

With the amalgamation, players who register for one league won’t have to pay for another if they move up a level or are sent down. It’s another reason why the move made sense.

 

“The nice thing,” Gichard said, “is you’ll see more kids on the field.”