If you’re a football fan, mark Sept. 25 on your calendars.
That Sunday, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, is Football Day in Vernon and it will be amazing.
For the first time in recent history, Vernon District Minor Football Association has two teams in each of its three divisions and, on Sept. 25, it will be all-Vernon games, all-day at GVAP.
The Vernon White Magnums will face the Vernon Blue Atoms to kick things off Sept. 25 at 10:30 a.m. That will be followed by the all-Vernon Pee Wee battle at 12 p.m., and the final game of the day will be the Battle of Vernon Junior Bantam squads at 2 p.m.
“There’s going to be a tailgate party and it will be a very fun atmosphere,” said VDMFA vice-president Tyler O’Dwyer. “Our president (Devin Rodger) did a lot of fundraising. We have new equipment, great sponsors. It’s going to be a terrific year.”
Having two teams in each division is “beyond fantastic,” said Rodger.
“I thought we could do it,” he said. “Our flag (football) program really took off in the summer. I recruited players who were having fun playing flag football to play tackle.”
The future bodes well as the growth for Vernon Minor Football is in the Atoms Division, featuring players aged 7-9. There are 30 kids registered, up from 13.
Rodger had to turn away five kids in each age group.
“We could possibly be looking at three teams in each group next year,” he said. “Football is growing in popularity again.”
The 2022 regular season kicked off over the weekend of Sept. 11. The Vernon teams went 2-3-1 on opening weekend.
ATOMS
Vernon White Magnums 12 Kamloops Broncos #1 12
Kamloops Broncos #2 31 Vernon Blue Magnums 18
PEE WEE
Vernon Blue Magnums 38 Kamloops Broncos #2 6
Kamloops Broncos #1 34 Vernon White Magnums 19
JUNIOR BANTAM
Vernon Blue Magnums 40 Kamloops Broncos #1 20
West Kelowna Red 22 Vernon White Magnums 18
Four Vernon teams are on the road this Sunday, Sept. 18. The Vernon Blue Magnums Atom team and Vernon Blue Magnums JB squad have byes.
READ MORE: Vernon triathlete finishes top-50 at World University event
READ MORE: Calgary Roughnecks high on Vernon lacrosse player
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.