With special guests from the Regina Riot football team, the U18 Estevan Viragos hosted a skill development camp on Saturday afternoon which was attended by athletes from Weyburn, Estevan, Regina, and Yorkton. Viragos Head Coach Mark Tribiger was pleased with the turnout of returning players, but was especially glad to see newcomers trying the sport for the first time.
"Our goal is to get new players out, basically let them see what football is about," said Tribiger. "This year has been really nice. We actually have six girls that came down from Yorkton for the camp, three from Weyburn, two from Regina, and fifteen from Estevan that are on our team."
The camp also served as an opportunity for Viragos coaching staff to scout potential recruits, giving those with a certain aptitude they're "in" with the Prairie Girls Football League.
Weyburn's Bailey Roy was one new player who hopes to join the league soon. She said she was excited for the opportunity to try a more physical sport, and that she would recommend the Viragos camps to anyone interested in joining football.
"You should definitely go," she raved. "It was very informative. We got a glimpse of everything you can do if you want to play, and they will take their time to see what position fits you the best so you can enjoy the sport as much as you can."
Head Coach Mark Tribiger felt that the day was a great success and was thankful to have the leadership of Regina Riot players there to share their knowledge and encourage the growth of the sport.
"The day went great, and it was nice to see all the girls out," he said. "It was awesome to have the Regina Riot players come down and coach us. The girls love seeing where they can go after they're done playing at this level and getting to work with women from the elite league is encouraging for them."
The next camp is planned for April 21st at the Credit Union Spark Centre, and is open to females born between 2007-2013. Contact Mark Tribiger (306) 461-6424 or Kevin Mortenson (306) 421-3377 to register.
The 5 teams that make up the U18 female league are based in Moosomin, Melville, Yorkton, Regina, and Estevan. You can learn more about the Prairie Girls Football League by clicking HERE.