64 Years & We Keep Getting Better!
“2018 marked the 64th anniversary of our league (NCAFA) and the Bell Warriors Football Club. It is unimaginable to consider how many people and hours have been generous given to our community to mentor our young youth over those many years. We have so much to be proud of, grateful for, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of this year’s volunteers for all they did to make the ’18 season a resounding success”, summed up Paul Stewart, Bell Warriors President at the Warriors AGM held Feb 20.
Here are some highlights from the President’s report:
- Banquets and 7th Annual Silent Auctions January 12, 2019
- Helmet Reconditioning Return: February 2019 (new & BELL and WARRIORS stickers were bought for the first time to put on all of our helmets)
- Head Coaches Announced – Brian Patterson (tyke); Pat Kilmartin (Mosquito); Geoff Forsyth (Pee Wee); Richard Baylin (Bantam)
- Warriors AGM: February 21
- NCAFA Planning Meeting: March 2, Gatineau, PQ
- REDBLACKS Coaches Clinic: March 4
- ’19 Warriors Planning Meeting: March 27, Scotty’s Corner Diner
- New Website meeting – March 28 Current site was not able to take purchases or payments anymore.
- 2-week Indoor Football Clinic: April 13 – April 27, Ben Franklin Dome
- Primo Equipment Inventory & Organizing Day: April 13
- NCAFA Flag Football : Quinn’s Pointe, April 20 – May 4 (free), May 11 – June 22
- Team Ontario: Trey O’Brien named to Team ONT team
- Managers Meeting – May 13
- Tryouts: started May 21st : 113 players selected eventually (vs 120 in ’18, 115 in ’17; 134 in ’16)
- Warrior Wear Catalogue/website: launch May 31, 2 different clothing orders during summer & fall
- 50/50 Tickets Sales Starts: June 1
- New Warriors website is launched: June 3 The new site uses a responsive template that can be viewed on any platform
- Safari Plumbing Donation of $1,000: June 12 This was the results of an online pole for the Non-Profit of Choice in our Community
- Girl’s Touch Football Championship: June 23 Record numbers of girls played for the Warriors this year
- NCAFA SET U15 and U17 program: July 13-14
- 24th Annual Warriors Golf Tournament: July 20 Amberwood Golf Course, Stittsville
- New Mosquito Jerseys: Aug 8 The new jerseys were sublimated and double-sided – sponsored by Scotty’s Corner Diner, Bells Corners
- Tyke Jamboree & Mosquito Madness Exhibition Season Openers: August 10
- NCAFA Season Opener: August 11 (Bantam vs Chateauguay Raiders)
- Warriors at the REDBLACKS: Aug 17 (REDBLACKS vs Ti-Cats game) Players were on the field to watch the warm-up, were in the tunnel when the players were announced, and ran on the REDBLACKS flag in front of the REDBLACKS team
- Laurier Golden Hawks Player of the Week: Sept 5 Brad Cowan (Warriors Alumni)
- Queens Gaels Player of the Week: Sept 26 James Keenan (Warriors Alumni)
- 5 Warriors played USports Football in same week: Sept – Malik Yusef (Carleton), James Keenan (Queens), Kurtis Schaefer (Queens), Brad Cowan (Laurier), Quinn Stewart (St FX)
- Bell Warriors Scholarship Winners announced: Oct 21 Jake Papalia, James Keenan ($40,00 given to date)
- Canteen: $5,587 profit. All food donated by new Gold Sponsor Scotty’s Corner Diner, Bells Corners
- Poppies and Pink Ribbons on Helmets: October and 1st week of November
- Annual Joint 4-Team Practice at Bell H.S.: October 24
- NCAFA Championship Week: Oct 28 – Nov 4. Tyke C-Cup Finalists; Mosquito A-Cup 6v6 Champions; Pee Wee C-Cup Finalists; Bantam B-Cup Semi-Finalists
- Intra-Provincial Pee Wee/Bantam/Midget Championship: November 17
- Equipment Return: Nov 5 & 6
- Troy & Allison MacLeod receive Warrior Volunteers of the Year Award: November 14
- Warriors Recognize Scotty’s Corner Diner (Gold Sponsor): Nov 14
- 7th Annual Volunteer Appreciation night: November 14 hosted by Gold Sponsor The ALE Amberwood Lounge & Eatery
- Chilli Cookoff : Nov 17 hosted by WhiprSnapr Brewery, Bells Corners
- NCAFA Bursary Winners: November 30 Zach Baylin (Bantam), Ethan Ryan (Midget) both Warriors Alumni
- NCAFA All Stars Announced: Dec 10
- Trivia Night: Dec 7 Inaugural Trivia Night was held at our Gold Sponsor – The Glen Scottish & Irish Pub and Eatery, Stittsville
- Warriors Players International Championship: Dec 12
- Christmas Hamper Program: Dec 19
- Sponsorship Program: $5,483 ($2,580 (‘18), $4,045 (‘17), $5,250 (’16), $5,893 (’15), $5,000 (’14), $8,620 (’13) = $36,871 since ’13 (7 year total)
- Team Banquets & 8th Annual Silent Auction: Jan 18-19, 2020 Raised >$7,200 at Silent Auction (new record)
Elections determined that the 2020 Bell Warriors Executive would be:
- Paul Stewart, President
- Richard Baylin, VP of Operations
- Kelly White, VP of Administration (NEW)
- Dan Crabtree, VP of Finance
- Paul Gowans, VP of Equipment
Director positions are listed on our Contact page and supporters are encouraged to contact the Warriors at info@bellwarriors.ca if they are interested in applying to fill any vacant positions.