Let’s get ready for some football!
Coming off a 34-30 loss to their archrivals, the Athabasca Pacers, in the Wheatland Football League Tier 2 championship last season, the Westlock Thunderbirds are gearing up for another crack at a title.
On Sept. 5, the T-Birds kick off their 2014 season when they travel to St. Paul to take on last year’s Tier 1 champion St. Paul Lions.
Due to a change in the league’s structure this season, the T-Birds will play two games against Tier 1 opponents, coach Jon Kramer said. On Oct. 3 the Holy Rosary Raiders from Lloydminster will come to Westlock. Both games against the Tier 1 teams are exhibition games.
“There’s really nothing on the line for either of them, but it’s good for our program,” he said.
Over the years the T-Birds have continued to improve their enrolment numbers, quality of play and overall talent level. Having the chance to take on the established teams in Tier 1 will be a good measuring stick.
“It will be good to see where we stack up after not playing those Tier 1 teams for a few years now,” Kramer said.
Outside of the two games against St. Paul and Holy Rosary, he said the team plays a four-game schedule against Tier 2 teams. The first of those comes Sept. 12 when the Vermilion Marauders come to town for the T-Birds’ home opener.
While Kramer can’t predict how this season will pan out, he said he has a good feeling about the next two months.
“It’s going to be a good year, we know that much,” he said.
At the very least, the team will come out of the gate with a chip on its shoulder.
“We ended off last year hungry for the returning players, just losing in the Tier 2 final,” he said.
That loss left a sour taste in their mouths, and further encouraged the players to work out hard during the off-season, as well as review game tape and the playbook in preparation for this year.
Add in the camaraderie between the players, and the team is shaping up to function like a well-oiled machine.
“The guys really like each other and they’re excited to play a season of football together,” Kramer said.
The T-Birds get their first crack at exacting revenge against Athabasca in Friday Night Lights game on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. at the field behind Westlock Elementary School.
