New Look For LKSSAA Football

For grade 9 students entering high school in Chatham-Kent this Fall, there won’t be a long wait to strap on the shoulder pads to play high school football.

Traditionally in Chatham-Kent, the Senior football season has been held in the Fall, and the Junior season taking place in the Spring; however, this year, both seasons will begin in September with Junior and Senior coinciding.

“Football amalgamation has been two years in the works,” said LKSSAA Coordinator James Clarke of the merger.

“The main reason is to strengthen football and have more teams playing. Next year we will have 9 junior and 6 senior teams.”

The change is part of the ongoing amalgamation of the new LKSSAA league, as Sarnia-Lambton school’s have always held both Senior and Junior football in the Fall.

Many school’s needed to buy extra equipment to field both a Junior and Senior team simultaneously, which Clarke explains was a major reason for the delay following the official LKSSAA merger two years ago.

“The reason for the delay was financial and to allow for time for more coaches. Obviously there is a cost of running two programs at one time. The board has given finances to our schools to help in the transition.”