Helmets on: Minor football returns to Carpenter High after six-year break

(Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

Head coach Coleton Ethier, a former Spartan who went on to play and coach in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the U.S., said he was impressed with the energy at the first practice.

“It was a very good start to seeing these kids start to tackle and think about football a little bit, especially because most of these kids have never played football before.”

He emphasized that the program’s first year back won’t be judged by the scoreboard.

“Our success level is not going to be measured by wins and losses this year. It’s going to be, did the kids buy into our culture and did they get better every single day that they came out for practicing games?”

“If they can do that, then it’ll be a successful year.”

Head coach Coleton Ethier. (Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

(Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

Defensive coordinator Christopher Brownrigg, who previously coached with the program before it shut down, said the focus is on teaching fundamentals safely.

“This is a hard sport. It’s a very heavy contact sport, and the better that we teach them how to move their bodies through space, the less injuries that they’ll sustain themselves and less injuries that they’ll actually inflict on our opponents. We’re not here to hurt anybody. We’re here to play hard.”

When asked what part of practice challenged the players the most, Evan Klassen pointed to the conditioning.

“Probably the burpees… a bit out of shape after summer,” he laughed.

(Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

Helping out with tackling drills was guest coach Rufus Crawford of the SheDevils and El Diablos Rugby club. He said football’s return is important because of the wide range of opportunities it provides.

“Football’s got positions for short, tough guys, big heavy guys, fast little guys. It’s got a spot for everybody. So it’s great to see this sport back,” Crawford said .

The Spartans will line up against four high school opponents this fall, including John Paul II Collegiate in North Battleford — a matchup coach Ethier said he’s looking forward to.

“Because they’re our closest opponent, so there is a little bit of a regional rivalry there.”

The rest of the schedule includes teams from Kindersley, Humboldt and Delisle.

For Klassen, the message is simple: “Keep going as hard as I can, and don’t stop because it’s worth it in the end.”

The high school team is also with the Meadow Lake Minor Football club.

(Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

One of the Spartans’ players, Kayl Solsten. (Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

One of the Spartans’ players, Evan Klassen. (Kenneth Cheung/meadowlakeNOW staff)

(submitted/Coleton Ethier)

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

Helmets on: Minor football returns to Carpenter High after six-year break

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