The Southeast Viragos are gearing up for a return to spring football, with a focus on player development, recruitment, and skill-building ahead of the fall competition season.
The female football team’s spring program will run from May 5 to June 15, giving athletes a chance to refine their skills in a lower-pressure environment while still competing in full-contact games.
“We’re looking forward to the development,” head coach Matthew McGillivray said. “We’ll be playing a game in Estevan on May 25, as well as attending a jamboree on June 14 or 15 to face multiple teams.”
To further build team culture, the Viragos will also take a bonding trip to Regina to watch the Regina Riot play the Saskatoon Valkyries.
Thanks to strong recruitment efforts, the team has expanded registration to include Grade 5 and 6 players, marking a significant step in growing the program.
“With the success we’ve had recruiting this year, our senior team is looking pretty good for numbers,” McGillivray said. “We decided to try and get a junior team going as well.”
Training camps have already helped athletes improve their conditioning and technical skills.
“We’ve seen progress in areas like catching and overall fitness, which have been key focuses in our conditioning camps,” McGillivray said. “So far, we’ve been improving in all the ways we had hoped.”
While the fall season is more competition-driven, the spring session allows new players to get comfortable with the game in a development-focused setting.
“For girls who are new to football, it’s a great opportunity to gain experience before our fall season,” McGillivray said.
Registration is now open, with a $100 fee due by the first practice.
“There’s no hard deadline,” McGillivray noted. “We just like to know sooner rather than later so we can plan accordingly.”
Equipment is provided, except for mouthguards and cleats.
With strong momentum heading into the season, the team is optimistic about continued growth.
“Hopefully, we get some more players,” McGillivray said. “That would help us build both our senior and junior teams, which is exciting for us.”