Hold that obituary notice for the Vernon &District Minor Football Association (VDMFA).
They may be in a rebuilding year, but minor football has a full new eager board of directors and three teams going strong.
Family Football Day goes Sunday, Oct. 1 at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park (GVAP) with the Bantam, Pee Wee and Atom teams playing home games from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
“Only two of our 2017 board of directors have children currently in VDMFA,” said vice president Marcy Kennedy. “We also have an amazing team of volunteer coaches. We have lots of fresh ideas and plans to help promote active youth in our community.”
Minor football entered a float in the IPE parade in Armstrong and have an account set up at Chasers Bottle Depot. They have a raffle draw ongoing with a major prize from WestJet valued at almost $4,000.
The Atom (ages 6-9), Pee Wee (10-11) and Junior Bantam (12-13) teams practise Tuesday and Thursday from 6-8 p.m. under the lights at the GVAP.
Kennedy is ecstatic at the return of Bill Tarr - The Morning Stars’ 2017 community builder award winner – as president. Tarr is joined on the board by longtime coach Ron Kirschner as a director at large.
Aaron Chan (coaching co-ordinator) Doug Cook (field and venues), Lee Elliot (recruiting director) and Kimberley Furmanek (sponsorship and fundraising) are also on the board.
Alumni moms on the board include Dawn Labreque (Carson Lebreque of the Calgary Dinos) as registrar, Heidi Astin (Josh Hyer of the Dinos) as treasurer and Leah Andrist (Taylor Pelltier of the Abbotsford Panthers) as secretary, are also on the executive.
Mindy and Chris Burke are the media and flag co-ordinators.
“We’re building character, community, and health for kids in the North Okanagan,” said Kennedy.
New players are welcome but registration closes Sept. 30. Visit www.vdmfa.ca and Facebook and Instagram pages (@VDMFA) .
James Green, who played community football in Vernon, went on to play Junior A for the Okanagan Sun in Kelowna, then university for the Calgary Dinos.
He was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts in the third round of the 2009 CFL Draft. Green was later released by the Argonauts on June 17, 2010. He was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos on July 9, 2010 but later released. He then signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on August 3, 2010. He played CIS football for the Dinos. On Dec. 16, 2013, Green was drafted by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2013 CFL Expansion Draft. On February 13, 2016, Green signed with the Calgary Stampeders. On June 14, 2016, Green was released.