The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines dichotomy as:
"a division into two especially mutually exclusive or
contradictory groups or entities". While this may be the first
and only time you will see the term used in one of my sporting
columns, I can't help but to think it defines the current state
of football in Sudbury.
Such were the thoughts I gathered in my travels over the past
few weeks as I tried to bring together all elements of the
local gridiron community. At some level, within some of the
organizations, the concept of "contradictory groups", or
perhaps more fittingly "groups pulling in opposite directions",
seemed to have definite relevance to the  atmosphere
surrounding football in our area.
In essence, football is at polar opposites depending on where
exactly you look - thriving in some instances, barely on
life-support in others. Let's start with a look at the good.
While none of the organizations or leagues I'll examine are
beyond improvement, there is little denying much is well within
the Joe Macdonald Youth Football League ranks.
The league was officially established in 1993, honouring the
former Lasalle Lancer, Sudbury Spartan and Sudbury police
constable who perished in the line of duty.
It followed in the footsteps of the former Kinsmen Minor
Football crew, mirroring in some regards the very successful
"Pop Warner" program south of the border.
The JMYFL continues to move forward, at a fairly reasonable
rate, now featuring two steady, four-team divisions, with a
Mini-Mac grouping added to the mix a few years back. In fact,
many highschool coaches have commended the league for providing
the secondary schools with a wonderful head start in teaching
youngsters the fundamentals of the game.
Yes, that same highschool league which not that long ago,
appeared to be on definite life-support. The same highschool
league that was down to as few as three teams, one of which
required a collaboration between a couple of different
institutions, just to keep the sport alive. My, how things have
changed.
As Lively Secondary made a reappearance on the highschool scene
last fall for the first time in a couple of decades, the SDSSA
loop would count eight teams strong for a second straight year.
With the Chelmsford Flyers being added to the fold, the league
should increase to nine this September.
More importantly, there is a prevailing parody that currently
exists that bodes well for the entire league. Yes, St. Benedict
and Lockerby have been strong in recent years. But countless
are the games that provide incredible entertainment to what
seems to be a growing number of enthusiastic fans.
The summer of 2003 provided local highschool players with their
first opportunity to participate in a summer league of
similarly aged competitors. The Sudbury Northerners took to the
field, albeit with a very young roster by OVFL (Ontario Varsity
Football League) standards and withstood the early growing
pains most imagined. Unfortunately, as the organization
appeared to be on the verge of solidifying their on-field
presence, off-the-field worries caused a division within the
ranks, with some in the local football community supporting the
concept, others clearly not.
While the Sudbury Gladiators are hopeful of being able to wipe
the slate clean, kicking off their involvement with a
seven-team Ontario Football Conference varsity league, some
will contend that the OVFL, for all of its short-comings,
remained a better option.
On the positive side, the new executive in place for the
Gladiators seems to have injected some additional optimism into
the program and early signs point to a local squad capable of
remaining quite competitive within the OFC ranks.
So one would think the foundation of the first two leagues and
a stabilizing of the next step of progression that the
history-rich Sudbury Spartans organization would be thriving.
Alas, 2008 will make it back to back summers that there is no
Northern Football Conference action to be found in the Nickel
City.
It's not hard at all to find those who will contend Sudbury has
seen the last of the Spartans. While I sincerely hope that's
not the case, I can't help but to think back to a conversation
a year ago or so with coach Chris Bartolucci as he emphasized
that you simply cannot create a market that doesn't exist.
In essence, you can't force young men (and some not-so-young
men) to strap the pads over their 22 to 40-plus year old bodies
merely for the fun of the game. In fact, I count myself among
those who has never quite been able to understand fully what
prompts these hardy souls to trek out to practice and games in
the heat of July and August, in most cases knowing that work
beckons again early the next morning.
Still, the timing of the demise of the Spartans is ironic, if
only because of the success the groups that should be creating
the developmental stream to support the NFC squad appear to be
prospering. Such, indeed, is the dichotomy of football in
Sudbury.
Randy Pascal is the voice of Persona 10 Sports and founder of SudburySports.com.
