The Edwin Parr Composite (EPC) Pacers football team will soon gear up for a new season with some fresh faces and a full roster of around 30 players. On Aug. 22 from 6:30 - 9 p.m. and all day on Aug.
The Edwin Parr Composite (EPC) Pacers football team will soon gear up for a new season with some fresh faces and a full roster of around 30 players.
On Aug. 22 from 6:30 - 9 p.m. and all day on Aug. 23, the team will meet for an equipment fitting and practice. They will spend some time in the classroom to study procedure, and once equipment has been sorted, they will have practices every day for a week.
The team comprises students in Grade 8 through Grade 12. The Grade 8 students don't get to play games, but they do participate in practices. In the first year of high school, they get in on the gameplay.
The Pacers won tier two in the division finals last season against Vermillion, but went on to lose by only one touchdown against a tier one team in the consolation final in Bonnyville.
They know what it takes to win, and head coach Pete Burden, with the help of assistant coach Terry Smith, will be holding them to it as they practise for seven days straight from Aug. 22 to Aug. 28 before playing an exhibition game in Whitecourt against the Whitecourt Cats Aug. 29.
For the regular season opener Sept. 6 at EPC, the team is hosting a lunch-hour BBQ and pep rally for students.
"We plan to have during the BBQ a couple of fun games like 'Can you throw better than our quarterback?'" said Smith.
Sept. 6 is the Pacers' first league game and will be against Vegreville. The regular season continues for another month-and-a-half or so. The Pacers play in the Wheatland Football League, which stretches from Westlock to Cold Lake, according to Smith.
Burden said the season is "very intense, because we practise three days a week," acknowledging the need for his players to keep up academically in order to remain on the team.
"As long as they are maintaining (academically) what they're capable of, (they can play), but if their marks drop, then they won't be allowed to play," said Burden.
Players need to stay healthy and keep their throwing arms in good shape, said the coach.
"I lost my quarterback last year. He broke his wrist dirt-biking three days before we started camp in the fall, so he ended up playing linebacker all year."
The coach said he encourages his players to try to resist their sweet tooth and to stay in shape and work out during the summer months.
On the back end of the team's operations, it costs between $10,000 to $15,000 a year to keep the Pacers on the football field. Every away game costs the team $1,700 to rent a bus.
The $250 per player fee is a fair price, however, covering all games, equipment and some meals. The team also volunteers with various events around town and sometimes receives a donation for its hard work.
The Athabasca Chamber of Commerce Parade drew many colourful vehicles last month, but the one that won first place was the Pacers' float featuring two fully dressed football player mannequins made out of PVC piping.
Smith said the team will likely put the $500 float prize from the parade towards new equipment.
Player turnover is always a challenge, as students graduate only a few short years after joining the team, but the goal remains the same.
"We still want to win the tier two championship. That's our goal," said Burden.
"We lost some really talented players last year. We graduated six, but it was all of our linebacking core. We lost a lot of size," he said.
The coach still expects to see a healthy turnout come Aug. 22.
Whatever new faces appear on the field that day, the Pacers' code of conduct will remain the same -one fostering respect of the game and respect for one another.
Burden said this ethos fosters honesty and transparency among his players on and off the field.
"Our biggest thing is we're all there to have fun," said Burden. "Winning is great, but if we're not having fun to begin with, then we shouldn't be there."
