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Express in practice mode for 2014 grid iron season

April 3, 2014   ·   0 Comments

The TNT Express Football Club is indoors at the Bradford dome getting ready for the Ontario Minor Football League (OMFL) opening weekend.

The TNT Winters Skills camp has just competed the fifth session of pre-season training and will have one more before, hopefully, heading outdoors to continue training.

As long as the weather cooperates and the snow melts, the team will have equipment fittings and be outdoors in mid April.

“Each of the teams is going to have two sessions with a personal trainer,” Said Express president Robert Hinde. “It will be fitness and conditioning to get them started.”

The indoor sessions work on skills and for some kids it’s an introduction to the sport and learning the nuances of the game.”

“This is more on the basic skills of the game and with the newer kids who are coming in we’re trying to do introductory skills so they know what we’re talking about when they get their equipment,” Hinde said. “The biggest challenge with these guys is teaching them how to hit and teach them how to tackle. We try to ease them into that and we do a lot of fitness stuff before that.”

The OML has expanded again this season and now has a total of 63 registered teams in six divisions ranging from Tyke right up to the Junior Varsity level.

The Express is one of only two clubs in the League this year that is fielding a team in every division with currently around 180 players registered and they may possibly top 200 players once late registrations are completed.

Around 70 per cent of this year’s TNT players are returning from last season.

The Express had a solid season last year sending two teams to the OMFL championships.

The Bantams went to the championship but lost in the final game.

Last year’s Varsity team claimed the championship with a win over Orangeville in the final game.

In addition to the returning coaching staff, four former, now overage players will be on the field this season as coaches.

“That’s one of the coolest things about TNT – the fact that these guys like it enough to want to come back to help,” Hinde said.

The OMFL season is scheduled to get underway May 17–18.

By Brian Lockhart

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