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32 thursday aug 8 2002 economist sun stouffvilie tribune sports minor football programs in region overcome sporfs violent dangerous image minor football not hurting by mike hayakawa staff writer for all the naysayers hesitant to let their children try football gary husbands says dont worry let them play in recent years more youngsters have been tackling a sport that has a stigma as being violent and dangerous wearing several hats including president of markham raiders minor football organization central ontario minor football league and tackle football ontario mr husbands points to recent provincial registration figures to show the sport is thriving in york region football has flour ished through the markham raiders and yorksimcoe young bucs three years ago we had 30 to 35 players now were at 50 attracting players from markham stouffville richmond hill and thornhill the raiders have five teams tykes 8 to 10 years of age atoms 11 to 12 pee- wees 13 to 14 bantams 14 to 16 and collegians 17 to 20 within these groups mr husbands says the atom program has shown the most significant growth three years ago we had 30 to 35 players now were at 50 the stouffville resident says while the atom program has pros pered there was nowhere to go for play ers whod graduated from bantam prompting the raiders to introduce a collegiate team this season its a parallel program with the high schools mr husbands says noting the collegians start before high school sched ules began with a single team eight seasons newmarket aurora holland landing coaches and parents and the coaches ago currently field four entries king city mount albert are certified she says we think our tykes atoms peewees and tottenham bradford organization is run as well as any other bantams in the central and innisfil ms seilis sports organization in town ontario league imrj m i i says football is just so why is football experiencing a it hasnt been a il illfil starting to find its surge in popularity rapid growth due to m wi jyi niche in an area as an aclministrator mr husbands the cost of buying ib lji ri grlp traditionally domi- points out football ontario has taken a equipment ji o i- ml nated by hockey more aggressive stance in its marketing required says w wm h 1 and soccer especially in public schools to extol the young bucs presi- jm vjsfsytf 1 4 our programs virtues of the sport to parents dent amy seilis i jmjs ipife rr arerunbyvol- this in turn has spurred interest but it has been a iinfr jpusas plliiiltl iil- unteer especially at younger age levels gradual one ivls the elsessp bucs jilli m the cfl has been doing entice piay jjfi- ibs 5ssn3fc vjgji7 jvmh hmmvo- more advertising these days ers jlafcalshsab jjpmi and its becoming involved from am wksbf ma with the game at the grassroots level ftlfeisi sr5 w i b3 the young bucs which v y at the same time it has helped create interest in high school football with the worktorule campaign by teachers a thing of the past a junior gridiron team sprouted last year at richmond hill high school and a varsity team was cre ated at stouffville district secondary school as well football programs at gw williams and huron heights sec ondary schools resurfaced in the newmarketaurora area that aspect has filtered into the feeder public schools they look at the high school programs and they talk with their moms and dads to get involved at the atom and peewee levels mr husbands says ms seilis thinks media exposure given to the canadian and national football leagues has helped promote the sport as youngsters try to emulate big- time players the cfl has been doing more advertising these days and its becoming involved with the game at the grassroots level so the kids see it more see lack page 33 353 ijayhrmade drivers 24999 reg 499oo demo models footjoy dry ice glove now 1999 or x tor 3qqq vicat cougar 1 1999 junior spc set www 6499 reg 14999 nike reg 64999 titanium drivers 59999 now nike dolf bags dual lightweight stand bag reg 2x999 special pingr reg 55099 woods individual woods rh lh mens ladies from 244 nike titleist strata experienced grade a 9999 dozen or 3 soar greg norman golf shirts lady palmer 1z pc graphite 19999 i 3 5 7 wds 4sw reg 69999 arnold palmer amies own 11 pc wuif vnmru m ju mm mtltfk i mrhmlh reg 9999 reg 499oo k dimaixomcolf cleawnce centoe dlmarcogolfcom us su7 7 5221 hwy 7 east www 9 t f l i r r t t 9 tyi