On May 4, the Edmonton Wildcats are hosting a Safe Contact Clinic in conjunction with Football Alberta at the Wildcats clubhouse.

This course is intended for all coaches. All head coaches must take the Safe Contact by spring of 2016 and the following year all coaches. An integral part of the NCCP, Safe Contact teaches safe tackling and blocking techniques along with safety education and awareness. The course costs $89.25 (including GST). For more information or to register, contact info@edmontonwildcats.com

The Prairie Football Conference (PFC) has released its schedule for the 2016 Junior Football season!

This year there are two notable changes to the formatting of the schedule. The British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC) and PFC teams will meet in the regular season. This season the Saskatoon Hilltops will face off with the Okanagan Sun and the Winnipeg Rifles will challenge the Valley Huskers. “Getting the opportunity to start integrating regular season games with the BCFC is great for our league. In addition to giving all the PFC teams an opportunity to play against the BC teams, it also enforces that we are a national league.” says Wildcat President John Wojcicki.

To accommodate the extra game with the BC teams, an additional week has been added to the season, making it a nine game season instead of an eight game one. For the Wildcats, that extra game will be played against cross-town rivals the Edmonton Huskies. “We’re excited to get an additional game against the Huskies… There’s a long history of rivalry between the two teams which always makes for a passionate game. Having the third game gives us the ability to declare a true regular season series winner, which will only add to the rivalry.” says Head Coach Darcy Park.

The Wildcats start off the season at home against the Calgary Colts and then head out to Winnipeg the following weekend. We come back home for the next two weeks, first playing the Huskies and then the Hilltops. Week 5 is a bye week, followed by the showcase against the Huskies. Week 7 is in Calgary, then back to Edmonton for an away game against the Huskies. Week 9 will be in Saskatoon against the Hilltops, and the regular season will end in Edmonton for the only regular season game against the Thunder. PFC Semi Finals are October 23, the Finals on October 30, with the Canadian Bowl scheduled for November 12 at the home of the BCFC Champion.

The full schedule can be found here.

We were only able to highlight a few athletes who contribute to our In The Community events, but we could keep going for weeks! We have a lot of players and coaches who give back both with our team events as well as on their own. Happy National Volunteer Week – we are so proud of all of you!

The Past Commissioners Award is awarded annually to “an outstanding young man playing football for a CJFL team as well as contributing to his community”.  While this award has been dominated by the BC teams in the past, the last two years have seen it come home to the PFC – and both to Wildcats. In 2014 Keaton Hoddinott was the recipient, followed in 2015 by Brandon Quach.

Part of our mandate as a team is to foster a spirit of philanthropy and giving back. While our on-field goals remain the priority, we also recognize the importance of helping our athletes grow off the field as well. By providing them the opportunity to volunteer with various organizations and service clubs throughout our city, we are both giving back to the community that our team calls home, as well as helping our athletes build their resumes and develop a passion for helping others.

In 2013, we officially launched our “In The Community” program as a trial, and have watched as our athletes have taken the initiative, embraced it and made it a part of their Wildcat experience. Over the next few days we will be celebrating National Volunteer Week by highlighting a few players who have been our biggest ambassadors “In The Community”.

The Canadian Junior Football League is proud to announce the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) will rejoin as full members in 2017.

This season the OFC will play at the Provincial level as all seven teams will compete for the Conference championship.  For the 2017 season, the OFC will return and compete in the Canadian Bowl Championship Series strengthening the CJFL’s national brand.

“I think it`s important,” says CJFL Commissioner Jim Pankovich.   “We have great partners with the BC Football Conference (BCFC) and Prairie Football Conference (PFC) and not having Ontario for those couple of years I think really took the focus away from the national part of what we were doing.  Having them back really strengthens the brand of football that we are playing and we`re looking forward to them coming back for full playing status.”

For the past two seasons the OFC raised their age limit to allow players aged 23 and 24 to be added to their roster and given full playing status.  The age increase eliminated OFC teams to compete at the national level of the CJFL who gives eligibility to players aged 18-22.  This season the OFC will allow 23 year olds to continue to play, before dropping back within the CJFL rules in 2017.

“The Ontario Football Conference, particularly the players and coaches are very excited to be returning to the CJFL and once again becoming eligible to compete for the Canadian Bowl in 2017,” says OFC President Darren Cocchetto.  “Returning to the CJFL allows the OFC teams to once again be part of a league with national boundaries and competing for something more than a provincial championship.”

The Windsor AKO Fratmen have been the class of the OFC for the past three seasons, winning three straight Conference championships.  They will strive for their fourth straight when the OFC kicks off in July.

Both the BCFC and PFC will kick-off their seasons in August culminating with the 2016 Canadian Bowl hosted in the champion of the BCFC.

Source: Canadian Junior Football League