ESTEVAN - The teams in Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football are getting ready for the start of the 2021 season this weekend.
Minor football will have teams offered in four different age groups. The Estevan Kinette Club U18 Viragos female team is back for their second year. There are also three boys teams – the Estevan Lions Club U14 Oilers, the Estevan Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate U12 Chargers and the Estevan Power Dodge U10 Cudas.
Numbers are good for the boys teams, said president Kevin Mortenson, but the Viragos could use five to 10 more players.
“We’re sitting at about 20 active girls right now,” said Mortenson.
Mortenson noted the teams have been practising at Chow Field so they will be ready.
The Viragos will open their season on Sept. 11 in Regina.
The Oilers’ season begins during the Labour Day long weekend in Moose Jaw. Mortenson noted the U15 league will return to 12-player football, although the Oilers would have preferred to stay with nine players on the field.
“We find it’s better for development, but I can get the point of the other communities. Playing 12-man at this age gets them ready to go play high school,” said Mortenson.
The Chargers will have a new sponsor for the first time since their inception in 2008. The previous sponsor was Century 21 Border Real Estate Service.
Their first game will be in Moose Jaw during the long weekend as well.
The Cudas will play in jamborees this year, starting in Moose Jaw during the long weekend. The Estevan team will be split in half, and will play mini-games with six players aside.
The first home action for football this year will be the weekend of Sept. 11, Mortenson said.
The annual Football Weekend in Estevan will happen from Sept. 17-19. It will start Sept. 17 with the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team’s opener against the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles, a game that will be under the lights at the Dana Quewezance Memorial Field at Woodlawn Athletic Park.
Then on Sept. 18 the Chargers will play Weyburn at noon, the Oilers will host the Yorkton Gridders at 3 p.m. and the Viragos will play the Melville Vipers at 6 p.m.
The Cudas will have their jamboree at 1 p.m. on the 19th.
Minor football has partnered with Southern Plains Co-op on a Groceries for a Year fundraiser, in which the winner will receive $5,000 that can be used at any co-op location in the province for any services provided, whether it be groceries, fuel or others.
Mortenson believes it’s good for the kids to be out selling items.
The winner will be drawn during Football Weekend in Estevan.
