On Thursday and Friday afternoons, thousands of high school football players take the field across London and the surrounding area. On Saturday afternoons, the best graduates from those programs play in university stadiums across the country. It all starts on Sundays, though, when the future of football in London takes the field at Citywide Park to play in the London Minor Football Association.
Every Sunday in the fall, more than 700 players (aged 7-13) learn the game of football in a fun and exciting house league setting. With a focus on teaching fundamental skills, the LMFA coaches are preparing these athletes for their future as high school football players.
Mike Stenning, head coach of the South Lions senior football team, sees firsthand how the LMFA helps high school programs across the area.
“London high school football has benefited greatly from the development of our athletes in the LMFA program,” Stenning said. “Young athletes are able to gain quality instruction for the fall season from qualified minor coaches.”
Three practices and a game per week certainly provides plenty of instructional time for prospective football players. Once LMFA athletes enrol in high school, Stenning says, their foundational knowledge of the game is solid.
“We also see many of the LMFA coaches involved in coaching and managing our high school teams,” Stenning said. “We fully support and appreciate the efforts of the LMFA in developing London’s football community.”
William Smith, head coach for the junior Mother Teresa Spartans, concurs.
“It’s very evident that our younger players who have played in the LMFA program have a solid grasp on the fundamentals of the game, and that allows them to compete at a higher level,” Smith said. “The development of players through the LMFA system is a great benefit to the high school programs.”
In addition to preparing future athletes, the LMFA works with the London Football Officials Association to provide an opportunity to develop and train future officials. The Association has been involved with LMFA, in fact, for over 50 years. Trevor Semple, LFOA president, says he appreciates the symbiotic relationship.
“LMFA allows the London Football officials to use their excellent program to train and develop not only new officials, but those who want to move into newer roles,” Semple said. “It’s with much appreciation that we have London minor football to help us grow as officials.”
Interested in becoming a football official? Please email Trevor at: tsemple@uwo.ca. For more information on the 2014 season, visit: www.lmfafootball.ca or call 519-852-4465.
www.lmfafootball.ca
