New sport getting ‘flagged’ for play in Uxbridge

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A new sport comes to Uxbridge this week when the Blitz Flag Football program begins.

Christ Muller has started the sport with 54 youngsters signed up to play, while others are on a waiting list.

Muller said the six-week program is for youth aged 10 to 13, with the players split into two divisions of four teams each. The games will be played at Joseph Gould Public School because the flag football field - 50 x 30 yards - is smaller than a regulation football field.

The last scrimmage practice was held last night (Wednesday) with future games to be held on Wednesdays with the younger division teams playing at 5:30 p.m. and the older division playing at 7 p.m. At the first regular game next Wednesday, spectators are asked to bring old shoes for a charity event run by Bioped, a newly-opened clinic in Uxbridge that is collecting the footwear for Soles4Souls Canada.

The flag football program is co-ed because the sport is non-contact. The players wear no padding or helmets and the games are played five a side. Each team has a different uniform in vibrant colours, seemingly inspired by the NFL.

Muller said Uxbridge Secondary School Tigers coach Jeff Keeping will be helping out along with other coaches and Tigers players.

Muller has coached flag football before and said he won two championships in Durham. He noted that flag football will be introduced at the next Summer Olympics. He said he has experience working with young athletes, training youngsters from 10 to 17 for a variety of sports.