This past off-season proved instrumental in terms of overall growth for the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) as five new communities joined into the ranks of football history here in Ontario – the Brantford Bisons, the Guelph Bears, the North Halton Crimson Tide, the Niagara Storm, and of course, the Vaughan Rebels. With two of the five organizations moving up from the Ontario Minor Football League (OMFL), two others coming over from the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL), and with one venturing into summer rep football for the very first time in their young organization’s history, this...

Earlier this year, it was announced that the Niagara Storm youth football organization had officially decided to leave the OMFL in order to join the largest tier one football league in Ontario – the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) for the following divisions: Pee Wee (ages 11-12), Bantam (ages 13,14), Junior Varsity (ages 15-16), and Varsity (ages 17-19). However, since the OFC does not offer a division for the Atom level players (ages 9-10), the Storm had decided to remain on with the OMFL while they continued to explore more suitable options for their youngest group of players who are currently...

. I recently had the chance to sit down with the head coach of the Niagara Storm bantam (ages 13-14) youth football team, Marcus Stake, to discuss his team’s progress to date, as well as his recent transition into a brand new organization/league. Enjoy! James Ryan: Hi Coach, thanks for taking the time to speak with me. How are practices going? Marcus Stake: Practices are going very well, James. We have some really good athletes and they’re all working hard. I can’t wait to get the pads on them and see what we’re really working with. I’m excited about the balance that we have across the...

. “Recently, the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) and the Ontario Minor Football League (OMFL) announced a partnership between the two leagues that will see the OVFL become the largest football league in Ontario.” Read the full article on Canada Football Chat here. I know a lot of people, especially in Niagara, are trying really hard to sell this as good news, but… I’d like to remind everyone in Niagara that the Storm were recently a part of the OMFL for the past 4-5 years and the reason they chose to go over to the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) is because the...

“A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.” With so many rumours and half-truths floating around in what has been an uncomfortable, and at times, unprofessional state of recruitment in the Niagara Regional youth football system, I think it’s important to point out that in spite of the many incredible changes and transformations that have occurred within each of the separate organizations as of late, nothing in terms of the overall perception or status within the community has in fact changed, which is very unfortunate, but...

At last, the wait is over – the Niagara Storm Youth Football Organization has “officially” become one of the new proud members of the Ontario Football Conference (OFC). This is long-awaited and exciting news for the Storm, who in prior years competed in the Ontario Minor Football League (OMFL). It should be noted however, that the Niagara Storm have not cut ties entirely with the OMFL. The new Atom team (ages 9-10) will still be competing in that league under legendary Niagara youth football coach, Kent Risko. All of the other divisions, which will include Pee-Wee (ages 11-12), Bantam (ages...

It’s been a very interesting event-filled off-season thus far for the Niagara Storm youth football organization and today was no exception, as the “Boys in Blue” proudly announced that Coach Brian “B.J.” Malott would be replacing Don Moses as the new Head Coach of the Senior Varsity football program. “I am proud, excited, and pleased to announce that B.J. has accepted the head coaching position for the Storm varsity team,” said club President, Frank Trivieri. “B.J. brings experience and great enthusiasm to the job.” “I’m really...

From an awareness standpoint, life is a whole lot different now than when I was growing up in the 70′s and 80′s. As young athletes, my friends and I were constantly pushing our physical boundaries, with very little regard (if any) for our own personal safety. Between martial arts, “kill the man with the ball” on the Kenney’s hill, and the several years that I spent as an aspiring daredevil skateboarder/bmx racer, I had more than my fair share of minor concussions throughout the years. Getting my “bell rung” was a normal and natural occurrence it seemed....

Ford was asked what was harder—running a football team or working with city council. “These kids listen,” he said. “City council doesn’t.” Okay, I admit it. I’ve never been a big fan of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (that’s putting it mildly), and not because of any personal feeling towards the way that he actually does his job as mayor, but because quite frankly, the media tells us to dislike Rob Ford—so we do, because we all share the common love of hating on politicians and/or public figures who act imperfectly. It has become our greatest social hobby. Rob Ford has been accused...

Today, I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Niagara Storm President, Frank Trivieri, to talk about a few surprising changes to the Storm organization, and to discuss his thoughts on how these changes will now impact youth football throughout the entire Niagara and Hamilton Regions. Enjoy! James Ryan: So Frank, what’s the big announcement? What happened this past weekend? Frank Trivieri: Well, the big announcement is that we have been accepted into the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) whole-heartedly, and it’s now just a matter of being rubber-stamped, which is a formality as we’re...