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OPFL lobbies provincial government to allow return to football

June 17, 2021   ·   0 Comments

The gates at Mel Mitchell Athletic field are still closed and the football field hasn’t seen any action since 2019.

Summer league football lost its entire season last year, and so did high school fall ball.

The situation this year does not hold much promise that there will be a season at all.

Even with the easing of restrictions on outdoor and sporting activities, games are prohibited and the number of people allowed on a field for training purposes means most sports clubs cannot train as a team.

The Ontario Provincial Football League is lobbying the provincial government to reconsider the restrictions on their sport.

The OPFL says the current restrictions have begun to “impact the welfare of our children, and the sustainability of the organizations that provide football programming across all age groups and playing levels in Ontario.”

The OPFL sent a letter stating their concerns to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams, and the Ministries of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture industries outlining their case for a return to the sport.

While some football clubs did have a flag football season last year, it was not the same as participating in the full football experience.

The organization says that the lack of sports is impacting the “mental and physical health” of kids in the province. It goes on to say that restrictions are forcing sports organizations to use expensive private or semi-private facilities that may affect “vulnerable youth athletes” who need youth sports the most.

The OPFL says it is a leader in safe protocols on the sports field, and it is prepared to put new protocols in place like face shields attached to football helmets.

In a regular year, football leagues across the province would have started playing their opening games on the May 24 Victoria Day weekend after winter indoor training and spring training on local football fields.

Locally, the TNT Express Football Club are in the same boat as other clubs across the province.

The Club called for registration early in March to see what kind of numbers there were going to get, but so far they have been unable to organize anything under current restrictions.

By Brian Lockhart
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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