The R.F. Staples Thunderbirds junior football team kicked off their spring season with several games on the evening of May 15.
The Thunderbirds junior team, made up of Grade 6s, 7s, 8s, and 9s, played several games of 6-a-side football against the H.W. Pickup Huskies from Drayton Valley and the Hinton Wolfpack from Harry Collinge High school.
Thunderbirds coach Jared DeJong noted the spring season’s focus was more on development than being competitive.
“For a lot of the kids it’s their first experience against actual opposition. It’s a bit more informal and I’m on the field coaching the whole time,” said DeJong. “We don’t really keep track of the scores but I’m sure the kids could tell you how many touchdowns we got.”
Despite the lack of scorekeeping, the Thunderbirds seemed to be a step above their opposition throughout the games they played.
The Thunderbirds spring season runs from now until the end of the school year in June.
“We usually run a camp for the senior team during the spring but the real competitive season for them is in the fall,” said DeJong.
