When football teams go through reconstruction phases, it can be a painful process. But despite the fact that neither the Innisfail Cyclones on either the peewee or bantam sides of the fence have managed to walk away with a “w,” players have been winning when it comes to racking up valuable support and experiences.
Certainly both teams failed to come out ahead in each of their last two outings, but when the odds are stacked against you the memorable plays and sportsmanlike play tastes that much sweeter.
“They did have a lot of good plays,” said Wally Genz, the head coach of the peewees and the bantams. “Both teams are going through rebuilding years.”
On Sept. 29, the Bantam Cyclones hosted the Stettler Panthers here on home soil. Not long after the 11 a.m. kickoff it was clear the big wild feline opposition would best the local squad. But as with every game this year, the time on the field forced the Cyclones to see what kind of swirling force they could muster.
At this level of play it's important to make sure the kids are having fun while they're learning, he said.
“If they're pushed too hard you'll start losing players,” he said.
In the Sept. 29 peewee match-up between the Cyclones and the Red Deer Steelers, Alex Putte shone bright, with quality running drives.
“He's just an overall rounded athlete,” Genz said. “He runs with the ball, tackles, and he's loud in the huddle.”
With our sizably smaller teams facing up against larger foes the training staff remains vigilant seeing if players that get knocked down are facing an “owie” or are at risk of a more serious injury, he added.
