The North Bay Bulldogs are excited to share the progress of its summer football programs as the club is wrapping up another successful Bulldogs Youth Tackle Football (BYTFL) season this coming Sunday at Omischl Sports Complex.
BYTFL provides opportunities to safely enjoy tackle football to almost 200 children between the ages of 9 and 13 who get to play real tackle football and learn all the skills necessary to give them a head start when they get to grade 9 and join a high school football program.
Club football in North Bay goes back over seven decades with the Bulldogs senior men’s program competing in the Northern Football Conference against clubs from all over Ontario.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
In 2004, the Bulldogs added its now-storied BYTFL for our kids.
In 2013, the Bulldogs grew by adding a summer Junior Varsity Football program. In 2015, the Bulldogs added a Bantam program for pre-high school competitive summer football.
In 2018, the Bulldogs added a Senior Varsity program for players 17 to 19 years old and won the provincial championship.
In 2022, the Bulldogs added a competitive flag football league operating in the fall. Then in 2023, the Bulldogs added a women’s flag football league, complete with its championship trophy and females getting to play the amazing sport of football.
WHAT WE'RE DOING NEXT
The Bulldogs are adding more programming. Even though the Bulldogs have been providing a great football experience to players ages nine to 40+ years old
over its seven football programs, the North Bay Bulldogs Football Club have a message for football followers in North Bay: “HERE WE GROW AGAIN!”
Planned for 2025 is the addition of a Tyke-level team in the summer football programming for kids aged 9 to 11.
“We have had so many of our Tyke kids from our fall youth tackle football league beg us to provide them with a summer program to play in, that we just have to put it together,” said Marc Mathon, Bulldogs president.
But that’s not all! Also planned for 2025 is the development of an all-female tackle football team to compete provincially during the summer. This will be open to females aged 19 and under, and they will be competing against clubs from all over Ontario.
“We have had so many super-talented girls go through our Youth Tackle Football League, and many of these courageous girls continue to play in high school football. But the physicality of the game with boys simply outgrows them and it loses its fun for them," said Mathon.
"With girls competing against girls," he added, "I truly believe our BYTFL graduate girls are skilled and talented and will compete very well at provincial level football competition. I have seen some great tacklers and very skilled girls go through our program, it's just a shame they cannot continue to play throughout high school. We are changing that.
“I believe we have reached a critical mass of girls who have played football in the Bulldogs program to warrant the creation of a girls program. It's gonna be great to watch grow!”
BULLDOGS LOOKING FOR COACHES
Growth takes resources and one of the most important resources needed is a coaching staff for each of the new programs.
The Bulldogs are actively looking for a head coach for the Tyke (age 9 to 11) program, the Women’s (age 19 and under) program and the Senior
Varsity (age 17 to 19) program for 2025.
The Bulldogs also continue to seek expressions of interest from football coaching types interested in assistant coaching positions in all of its summer programs (Tyke, Bantam, Junior Varsity, Senior Varsity, Women’s and the Senior Men’s NFC team).
Joining the Bulldogs family is more than just operating a sporting organization, it can become a great lifestyle as a player, a coach or a volunteer. The Bulldogs are making a difference in improving young lives by using the game of football to teach many of the most important life skills that set up our young adults to live successful lives and make valued contributions to our society, not to mention become great parents!
Even if you're not sure if you know enough but have a genuine interest in coaching, please do not hesitate to talk to us about coaching. We will be assisting new coaches with coaching clinics and formal coaching education. We are looking for good people who want to make a difference!
Also, for those who may not see themselves as coaches, but would like to help, the Bulldogs are looking for team managers and trainers with medical training for our teams. Please reach out and let the Bulldogs know.
Please send your expression of interest to [email protected].
