Blazers football into second season

The Bowden Blazers football team is back for its second season in about 40 years.

But this time, the squad is playing in the Mountain View 9 Man Football Conference, a move that will have them face local opponents.

The league includes teams from Strathmore, Innisfail, Carstairs-Crossfield, Sundre and Didsbury.

Head coach Chris Grudeski says team fees are about $100 less than last year when they played in a six-man league, as they are able to save money on bus costs.

On the field, he says nine-man football is a blend between the six- and the 12-man game, where the offence lines up with only three ineligible receivers.

He has 18 players on the team, 13 who are back from last year. Still, it's an inexperienced group, as none of the players have a background in minor football.

Brandon Rude, in Grade 11, is one of those boys returning for a second season, playing running back and defensive end. Last year was a challenge with a steep learning curve, as they were only getting introduced to the game, he says.

Rude says he didn't expect to reach the league final, but credits Grudeski with helping them learn quickly.

"He's one of the best coaches I've ever had. If you don't understand something, he'll break it down for you," he says.

Rude says he was also pleased with how the team brought the community together. He says a few hundred people came to watch their first game.

Grade 10 student Jessica Aplin is one of the newcomers and the only girl on the team. She was a spectator last year and thought it would be fun to try the sport out – specifically, the tackling.

Aplin's not a stranger to contact sports. She played lacrosse last year. With the Blazers, she splits time between playing defensive end and linebacker.

Finding new players like Aplin is the reason why football at Bowden Grandview School wasn't just a one-time thing. Leading up to this season, Grudeski says "numbers were a little sketchy at first, about 13, 14," but students took it upon themselves to invite their peers.

As well, he says the team has received financial support from people who see the value in team sports.

"The Community Action (Society) says vandalism has been on the decline since the team was formed and that's because the boys have something to look forward to now," he says.

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