The flinging of footballs is back in force in Sudbury, with high-school programs (both boys and girls) right across the region preparing for their fall schedule while the building blocks of all of the above kicked off the 2026 Joe MacDonald Youth Football League (JMYFL) season.
Labour Day football in Canada is something of an institution, notably with the Canadian Football League (CFL) – though in these parts, the Joe MacDonald League crew have also done their part to partake in the tradition.
Youngsters in all three levels of play – Micro Macs (ages 5 to 7), Mini Macs (ages 8 to 10) and Tykes (ages 11 to 13) – were out in full force, going through the reps in simulated game play at the James Jerome Sports Complex on Monday.
A head coach with the Sudbury Gladiators dating back to 2009, Brent Richer is no stranger to all levels of football locally – and he, for one, appreciates the role that the JMYFL currently plays in helping keep this area competitive against much of the province.
“I think the system that we have in place now with Joe Mac is more of a developmental model, with coaches being on the field,” said Richer. “It gives you the ability to teach and correct right away. I’ve worked with both. When we focused on games, the best players were shining. Here, I think everybody gets lifted up.”
And few have risen more than third year JMYFL veteran lineman Hayden D’Amours. A 13 year-old grade 8 student at Lively District Secondary School, D’Amours auditioned with the Team Ontario U14 squad, earning a spot in the Red – Black featured game.
“It was a great learning experience,” said D’Amours, whose older brother Ryder also cracked a Team Ontario roster. “I learned a lot and I think it really helped me as a football player.”
And not just any player.
A centre, no less. The man entrusted with two key duties on each and every play. The man around whom the rest of the offensive line revolves. The area where Hayden D’Amours shines.
“I think I have the (football) IQ to be able to play there,” he said. “You have to snap the ball, make sure it goes right to the quarterback – or you will lose yards. I make sure my guards and tackles know what they are doing, that their splits are good and they are going the right way.”
Make no mistake: Hayden D’Amours takes his role seriously.
“I like to use the kick step (pass blocking technique),” he said. “You’re down low and you kick your foot back and drag the front foot. Once you’ve gotten the snap down, that you’ve practiced it a bunch, it’s almost like muscle memory.”
“You’re snapping and then you’re up and ready.”
Joe Mac football is all about being ready, ready to take the next step when high-school football arrives.
"Practices are where do a lot of contact - safe contact, progressive contact," said Richer. "You start with a shoulder push, into a step and a couple of steps then into a takedown. Fear starts to dissipate - and watching other kids do it makes everyone want to do it."
The Joe MacDonald Youth Football League schedule runs effectively every Saturday at James Jerome from Labour Day through to mid-October, with the long weekend sessions moved to Monday.
