After eight years of league homelessness the Spartan football program at Olds High School will be part of the rebooted Big Sky Football Conference this season, along with two other ASAA Region 2 schools.
"It was a tough time," said head coach George Grant. "(But) we're back into a league, which gives us a little bit more credibility."
After losing teams to other conferences, the Spartans, along with the Canmore and Drumheller programs, ended up playing last season as independents, making it harder to fill the schedule because other schools considered the exhibition games a low priority.
"So the three coaches got together and said why don't we just come back together, we are at least a league ñ they can't just push us around," said Grant. "We just decided to do our own thing and create something," he said "and allow our kids the opportunity to get into some league games ñ games that mean something week after week after week."
"It's exciting," said Grade 12 student Chase Molitor, who typically plays on the defensive line. "As a team I think we are ready to take over, and take down the other two."
"(We've) just got to be ready. Play our hardest and not really give up anything that we shouldn't be giving up," he said.
In order to advance into this year's provincials, which will be held in Lacombe Nov. 24, the Spartans will have to first win the Big Sky championship. But Grant says that's not where they are focusing. "Ultimately we'd like to win the league, but we're going to break it down even further," he said. "We want to break it down to simply one play. Be successful on that. And then repeat it. And repeat it. And repeat it."
"If you try and go out there and win (the) league in our first game, it's too big of a picture," he said.
It's also hard to gauge results and expectations year to year, Grant said. With Grade 12 students leaving after each season, and new Grade 10 players coming in ñ some who have never played football before ñ it's hard to guess what the team might look like.
"We try and take the skillset that we have with these kids, and we try and develop an offence and a defence around what they can do," he said.
"The great goal would be to win a provincial championship, but we want to see these guys develop and maybe a few of them move on to the next level, and have a great experience while they're here."
The Spartans hit the field last Monday morning, bright and early, and have been doing twice-a-day practices to get ready.
Although luring teenagers out to the field at 6 a.m. every day before school might not make him popular with his players, Grant says the early morning practices work best for everyone: it allows those with jobs to work after school, those who play hockey to double up, and it makes it easier for coaches to fit training around their work schedules. "In a community of this size we need to be able to share our resources and our athletes as best we can," said Grant.
So far he has just short of 20 players registered, but even a week into practice, Grant is still hoping to draw a dozen more players once school starts. Often that's when athletes from other sports might consider giving football a go.
Either way the Spartans will gear up for next week's jamboree in Canmore, where they'll get a chance to play some mini games and gauge what needs to be tweaked before their first season game in Drumheller on Sept. 8.
"I think as a team, I think we can do really well," said Grade 10 student Marcus Lorenz. "I think if everybody works hard and does their part on the team, we can beat any team." But the rookie Spartan has a veteran outlook.
"Even if we don't win, if we put our heart out on the field, that's just as good," he said. "It's not just about the game; it's about life lessons, and learning to push yourself and learning to become a better player, become a better person."
SIDEBAR:
2017 SPARTAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 8-9 Olds @ Drumheller
Sept. 15-16 Olds @ Canmore
Sept. 29-30 CANMORE @ OLDS
Oct. 6-7 DRUMHELLER @ OLDS
Oct. 27-28 Conference Playoffs: 3rd @ 2nd
Nov. 3 Conference Playoffs: Winner @ 1st
Nov. 4 Region 2B Playoffs: Big Sky @ Big Rock
Nov. 11 South Quarter-finals: Region 2B v. 1A
Nov. 18 South Semifinals
Nov. 24-25 Alberta Bowl Provincial Championships
"The three coaches got together and said why don't we just come back together, we are at least a league ñ they can't just push us around." GEORGE GRANT HEAD COACH
