Students at Sudbury’s Chelmsford Valley District Composite school are tossing the old pigskin around, indoors, for now.
In a few months though, they will be on the field outside, competing in “8-on-8” football.
"Hey guys get together! Defence get together!" says school physical education teacher Glen Murray, as he supervises a practice.
Murray came up with the idea to bring football back, recalling that it was once a popular sport at this school. Declining student enrolment has made having a full, traditional football team impossible.
“A few years back, we actually had a ‘real’ football team, and played 12 on 12. We had to fold that team due to the lack of enrollment in the school, which left a really big hole in our community." says Murray.
As for the modified, 8-on 8 version of the game, he expects the pace to be different, and possibly more exciting.
"It's probably going to be faster, with a little more room to run, compared to having each team with 12 guys on the field. It's a lot easier to run through 6 or 7 guys compared to 12 guys."
Student Keegan Gillis-McAnulty is in his final year of high school and this will be his first taste of the sport.
"I think it should be good. I’ll finally get some football experience into me." says Gillis-McAnulty.
Fundraising efforts are underway to make this team a reality as purchasing equipment and other expenses for a roster of 18-24 players can cost anywhere from $12 ,000 to $15,000.
Three other schools in the area are on board to compete and the new league starts in April. It will last a month, and the hope is that other schools will eventually join.
