It’s game-on for Burnaby and New Westminster district high school football teams.
New West is preparing for its B.C. high school exhibition opener against Centennial at Perry Percy Stadium as though this were any other season.
St. Thomas More is also scheduled to take on independant rival Notre Dame at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex-West today (Friday) at 7:30 p.m.
But this year promises to be anything but ordinary, said New Westminster volunteer head coach Farhan Lalji.
“This is going to be a challenging year. Our plan is to play, but it’s a fluid situation,” Lalji said.
With school cancelled this week and likely into the following weeks by the ongoing labour dispute between public school teachers and government, football is poised to become a testing ground for what may lay ahead for other high school sports this year.
At present, what is at stake for all levels of high school football – from Grade 8 to varsity – is the regular league season.
Currently, 15 of the 16 AAA programs, including New Westminster and St. Thomas More Collegiate, have been given a letter of endorsement by their administrations to hold practices and games.
Approximately two-thirds of the 32 AA programs, including Moscrop, have also indicated their intention to play.
The catch is all participating school programs must be on board to stave off a fallback exhibition season if unanimity is not reached.
Bernie Crump, president of the B.C. high school football association and a teacher himself, said the goal is to start league games by mid-October in order to get in a minimum four games before the championships start.
“We’re hoping for sooner rather than later, but every day everthing changes,” Crump said. “(The season) could be in jeopardy. I won’t say it’s going to be an exhibition season. We’ve got a couple of other things in the fire about different ways we can go if we have to.”
Crump added most fields are not on school property and therefore should not be impacted by any picketing. He also said coaches have been instructed to honour all picket lines.
With nearly 75 per cent of B.C. high school football programs scheduled to take to the field this weekend, those associated with the game are hopeful the gains made this week won’t be thrown for a loss later on in the year.
“I’m hoping we can provide something positive for the kids,” Lalji said.
“We’re trying to do it for the kids and trying to make sure the kids at least have something,” Crump added.
– with files from Tri-Cities NOW reporter John Kurucz
