There is a new era for football in South Delta.
For the first time in the program's history, the South Delta Sun Devils will be fielding a junior varsity team this fall after enhancing their partnership with the South Delta Rams Community Football Club.
For decades, the Rams'Bantam team has been the feeder of talent for the Sun Devils. Players typically stayed with the club through Grade 10 before continuing their careers at SDSS. It was a unique arrangement and the only one of its kind in the province for high school gridiron programs. However, a shrinking number of Bantam community teams had the Rams executive reaching across the street to their partner.
The Vancouver Mainland Football League featured just five Bantam 12-man teams last season while there were 42 playing at the junior varsity level.
"From our point of view there was attrition at the Bantam level with club teams in the Lower Mainland where at Junior Varsity it has been growing," explained Rams president Anthony Hanna. "So it was a matter of time and, from my perspective, why not do it now?" "We spoke to a lot of the kids and, if given the choice, they wanted to play junior varsity over the club level. We now have the foundation and structure in place to have the best football club in possibly all of B.C. From kids coming up from eight-years-old in flag, all the way until they finish senior varsity, I think we have the tools in place to groom the best talent out there."
Discussions between the Rams and Sun Devils began about six weeks ago. Longtime Sun Devils head coach Ray Moon initially notified the B.C. Secondary Schools Football Association (BCSSFA) of the possible agreement to ensure SDSS would be part of the 2017 schedule. The school administration also came onboard and the Rams are providing the necessary player equipment to help alleviate the start-up costs.
The junior varsity team will join the seniors for a week-long spring camp and a scrimmage has already been organized for June 10. South Delta will play in the BCSSFA JV Hybrid Conference for its inaugural season which is a mixture of "AAA" and "AA" size schools.
"We have loved our relationship with the Rams over the years. They have done such a great job for us. Bantam teams throughout the province have started to decline and when they came over to speak to us about it, we told them we would love to have them," said Moon. "We are now putting all the logistics of it together and probably are about 70 percent done.
"The first year will be a bit of a learning curve of getting the entire organization together but we will have lots of things in place by (our spring camp). Everyone is really excited about it."
As to why Bantam teams are declining in community football in favour of junior varsity, Hanna believes there are a number of reasons. JV practices are right after school and games are typically played on Thursday or Fridays, compared to Sunday afternoons at the club level.
"When the kids are given a choice they are saying junior varsity. To them it's higher profile being able to play after school and there are girls over there too," chuckled Hanna. "Whether it's high school and then moving onto the university level, there just is that perception."
Hanna added the Rams will operate a Bantam 9-man team as an option for Ladner players in Grades 9 or 10 that do not wish to attend South Delta Secondary School. The 9-man game is played on a smaller field and doesn't require a large roster like the tradition 12-man game.
Currently, Ladner students can play football at SDSS but must be enrolled for half their curriculum at the Tsawwassen school. As per B.C. School Sports, they are also only eligible to play for South Delta athletic teams. Now that process is available for football players entering Grade 9.
Hanna is looking forward to the Rams and Sun Devils having an even better relationship with community coaches being encouraged to spend some time with the SDSS program.
"One of the important things was we have always been considered a feeder farm team to the Sun Devils. Even more so now because of the cohesion we are going to have with their coaches. We are going to learn from each other," added Hanna.
"They are going to help us teach the kids and we are going to observe the Sun Devils so it's going to be seamless. It will be great synergy from both."
