St. Theresa's Catholic High School has proven that there are some passionate football lovers in North Simcoe.
Interest in what a coach calls "the greatest of all sports" is strong with the school continuing to produce athletes passionate about the gridiron game.
Football manager and junior head coach Mike de Munnik and fellow junior coach Rob Coulis updated their safe-tackling course through Football Canada this year. The mandatory course allows them to teach safe-tackling skills to the boys in the program, so that players can enjoy the full contact sport.
"Ultimately it's to try to minimize concussions," de Munnik says, noting the host of every game must pay for a certified trainer that oversees the athletes on both teams.
“If a kid gets hit and they are not feeling well, the trainer assesses them and makes a decision if they are in or out of the game."
Adds Coulis: "They are being taken care of."
In addition to learning safe-tackling technique and having a trainer at every game, there is new technology in the helmets. They now have an air bladder under the plastic exterior rather than thick foam, and that offers greater protection.
The school started its program with a junior team in 2012, adding a senior team two years later. The St. Theresa's Thunder junior and senior boys teams won a Georgian Bay championship 10 years ago and eight years ago, respectively.
But De Munnik says the teams face an uphill battle annually for two reasons. On the competition side, the AA school plays Barrie teams that are all AAA, so it's harder for them to win.
Secondly, there is no football club in the Midland area. In urban centres, many high school players learn the game through football clubs. The closest club is the Huronia Stallions that play at the Barrie Community Sports Complex. Some Thunders players have played there.
However, the majority of players coming into the junior program know very little about football.
"It's a steep learning curve in junior," said de Munnik. "There's a wide range of skills from guys who have played before to guys that don't even know what a first down is. Sometimes they don't know what the positions are or what five yards is."
However, many of the players on the senior team have been playing for four years.
Carter Ross is an offensive player who's in his fourth year on the team. He said this team is the best yet.
"The team is great. They are like my brothers," he says. “I love football. It’s a physical game and it teaches you to have lots of determination.”
Garret Ainsworth is also a fourth-year player on the team and says he's learned a lot about the game since beginning to play in Grade 9.
"This is by far the best team I've ever played with," says the defensive player. "You create a good bond with your teammates and that’s something you can’t buy with money."
Simpson switched from coaching junior to seniors this year, along with parent-coach Jim Weeks.
"I've been with this whole group since Grade 9," Simpson says. "it's been a great opportunity to work with them and see their game develop and see them grow up into men."
This season has been rewarding and memorable, Simpson says, because the team has improved greatly from the first couple of weeks by making adjustments and collaborating with coaches and players.
“I think it’s the greatest of all sports. It is such a test of their perseverance and their ability to stick with the program and support each other and collaborate and to understand that it depends on all of us coming together and not relying on a few individuals. The more we can foster that strength and that unity, the more it starts to come together and it’s a joy to watch,” says Simpson, noting the senior team has a good chance of getting to the Georgian Bay championships.
The semi-finals for the Catholic School Athletics of Simcoe County is Nov. 1. The top two teams go to the finals on Nov. 8 with the winner advancing to the GBSSA championship game.
