DIDSBURY - The future of the Didsbury Dragons 9-man football team appears uncertain, says longtime coach Mark Lefebvre.
The team has played in the Mountain View Football Conference along with teams from Bowden, Carstairs/Crossfield, Sundre, Innisfail and Strathmore for several years. League games start in fall.
After 10 years Mark Lefebvre is stepping down as head coach of the Dragons citing a need for a change. Lefebvre said he isn't sure who will take over or if there will be a team this fall.
"I don't know for sure what's going to happen," said Lefebvre. "It's time for me to step down. I've pushed through for the last couple of years. There hasn't really been anyone to step up and take over for me. This year with the numbers (of players) being so low, I just didn't even know if there was a possibility of even having a team. So I thought it was just too much to try and push it through by myself."
The Dragons have struggled for a number of years with having enough players. Last year they ended up joining forces with the team from Bowden before the season started.
"The kids that are playing are enthusiastic but there are just not enough to field a team," he said.
An email to league commissioner Ian Hopfe seeking comment on the future of the Dragons was not immediately returned.
Lefebvre said he has several highlights over his 10 years of coaching the Dragons.
"We seem to have always been able to field a competitive team," he said. "Even though our numbers have been down, we seem to be able to find a way to be competitive and win more games than we lose so that's been good. The atmosphere of the team has always been very good. We were a team and we worked together."
Lefebvre said he really enjoyed coaching the team and seeing the players improve over the years.
Meanwhile, the Dragons have had several former players sign with junior football teams recently.
Heading to the B.C. Junior Football Conference (BCJFC) is Didsbury native Nils Haeni. The defensive lineman signed with the Vancouver Island Raiders of Nanaimo, B.C.
Haeni lives on a farm outside of Didsbury. He played three years with the Dragons before going to Olds to play 12-man football for the Olds Bulldogs. The 6'4, 225 pound, 18 year old returned to Didsbury High School (DHS) this year for his Grade 12 year to graduate.
"He was a big, strong kid," said Lefebvre. "He loves to play football. He was planning to play after high school the whole time I knew him. He was one of our players that played for Team Alberta."
Haeni's brother, Jonas, signed with the Calgary Colts of the Prairie Junior Football Conference.
Jonas, who graduated from DHS in 2016, played the last two years with the Kamloops Broncos of the BCJFC along with the next oldest brother Sam. Jonas played four years with the Dragons ending in 2016.
"Jonas was tough as nails," he said. "He loved playing defence for us and played linebacker. He was the cornerstone of our defence. He also had to play some offence. The last two years he played he ended up being quarterback. So he played quarterback and linebacker, which are two very different positions but we didn't have a quarterback and he stepped up and did a great job."
Duncan Little, a 20-year-old quarterback from Didsbury, signed with the Langley Rams of the BCJFC after playing two years with the Calgary Colts. Little never played with the Dragons, though, choosing to play 12-man football in Olds.
Langley coach Snoop Blokker said of Little, "He brings experience. Quarterback is an important position, obviously, getting a guy of his character and ability is huge for our team."
