The Raiders minor football team celebrated the start to their inaugural spring season earlier this month with a few tips both on the field and off by a couple of Saskatchewan Roughrider greats.
Roughriders defensive end Luc Mullinder (2005-2010, 2011) and receiver Matt Dominguez (2003-2008) stopped by Davidson School May 10 for a detailed and energetic practice with the Raiders minor football players along with a few of their peers on a wind-swept Kinsman Field. After the practice around 70 parents and siblings of the 13- and 14-year-old players joined Mullinder and Dominguez for a successful spring minor football supper fund-raiser that featured a great meal courtesy of Anne Willner and Linda Haas followed by awe-inspiring talks by both Grey Cup champions.
“For a first time event (where) we didn’t really have any idea of what we would have for total numbers (and were) unsure about how it would go down in the community, I think it was a good first go,” said Raiders minor football coach Blair Frederickson, noting the fund-raiser received needed support from many businesses in town. “We raised about $1,000 in profit and that money is going towards buying three youth small helmets for some of our smaller players (and) about five sets of shoulder pads. Again (being) youth small and youth medium, so we can fit all the players (and they’ll) have the proper fitting equipment.”
During the two-hour practice earlier that afternoon Mullinder helped Raiders co-coach John Jamieson run a group of seven kids through the proper techniques of breaking through an offensive line complete with personal details of times he accomplished the feat during his playing days with the green and white. On another section of the field Frederickson ran a few playbook drills with his charges, while further down the line fellow Raiders co-coach Trevor Ouellette and Dominquez showed the third group of seven athletes the best way to run the football through the types of stifling defences the former Roughrider and Denver Bronco encountered. After some time with each drill the player groups rotated, so each Raider could gain a complete lesson on both offence and defence.
“The on-field portion reemphasized what the kids have been taught already that you need to learn these basics and you need to learn the essentials of football,” said Frederickson. “Even when you reach the pro level every practice still involves going over these basics and going over these essential things that every player no matter what age needs to go through.
“I had one of my players…I think it was from Luke and the kid told me ‘man I learned more in 10 minutes than I learned all last season’ and so I looked at the kid and said ‘so what are you telling me,’ but it was good to have local coaches telling them something and then having it reemphasized by guys who have played the highest level in sports.”
To read more please see the May 19 print edition of The Davidson Leader.