There is an excitement in the landscape of five on five flag football currently that is attracting folks to the sport.
Even folks with the kind of football resume that Brett Walter possesses.
A former SDSSAA football league MVP (2008) who spent some time with the Queen's Gaels during his university years in Kingston, Walter accepted the move from assistant to head coach of the Laurentian Voyageurs women's team last summer.
And while a ninth place finish on the heels of a trip to nationals six months earlier was a little disappointing, Walter was sounding no less enamoured with the gig that he inherited from L.U. program creator and club president Lance Patrie.
"Building a program is fun in itself but being in a sport that is so new and to have a chance to trailblaze is really cool as a coach," said Walter, who quarterbacked the Lo-Ellen Park Knights to a city championship in 2008.
"The fun part is that the sport is so new, everybody is on the leading edge of it. We're coming up with new schemes, dreaming up new plays, always watching international football and trying to incorporate that."
In their first official year of OWIFA (Ontario Women's Intercollegiate Football Association) and Football Canada competition, the Laurentian crew qualified for nationals, earning a trip to Regina last May.
A tough 19-14 loss at the hands of the University of Ottawa relegated L.U. to the consolation side of the draw at provincials, with ensuing wins over both Carleton University (26-25) and York University (33-21) giving the locals their best remaining possible outcome, slotting in at number nine in Ontario.
"We were definitely very young, as a team, overall," said Walter, noting that with some exceptions such as veteran QB Addison Elliott, the current crop of Voyageurs are largely first and second year university students.
That kind of potential only adds to the motivation that the former offensive and defensive coordinator (at various times) embraces as he moved to the upper echelon of the coaching ranks with his team.
"I find myself just thinking about the team all of the time, trying to stay ahead of other coaches, game planning weeks in advance," said Walter. "The biggest thing is trying to be as forward thinking as you can be, all of the time."
With the sport being welcomed into the fold for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the appeal is clear to talented young athletes, even if their exposure to flag football is limited solely to a few fall seasons of high-school play.
"I think it's a coach's dream," said Walter. "We get raw talent, raw athletes. It seems to be a Sudbury thing where a lot of our athletes are multi-sport athletes. A lot of them played hockey or basketball at some point, so they are used to some contact."
"That's the athletes we tend to get. As a coach, it's all about what is the skill set you have and how do we slot you in."
With another incoming class of talent expected to number five or six strong, Walter and company are keeping a keen eye out for those who can prosper in the smaller confines of university football (played width-wise on a football field - versus length-wise as is the case for SDSSAA teams).
"We need quickness, a bit of size - and I think it helps if the players have a bit of an edge," said Walter. "You have to be able to win one on one matchups in tight quarters."
The 2025-206 roster of Laurentian flag football is: Addison Elliott, Tara Guse, Katie Miglioranza, Ava Massimiliano, Brooke Campeau, Chloe Rinaldi, Jade Marriott, Jocelyn Amon, Kaylee Vaillancourt, Kelly Clark, Maddyn St.Amour, Maija Potvin, Mya Farmer, Mya Massimiliano, Rebekah Poxleitner, Sydney Coe, Zoe Rienguette, defensive coordinator Jeff Ruff, assistant coach Veronique St-Jean and head coach Brett Walter.
