With teachers halting involvement in afterschool activities, both junior varsity and varsity football teams at Belmont secondary school needed some help.

B次元官网网址淎t the end of February our district pulled the voluntary services,B次元官网网址� said Kevin Harrington, head coach of the Bulldogs and a teacher at Belmont.

Harrington, along with fellow Belmont teacher Jason Leslie and Arbutus middle school teacher, Alexis Sanschagrin, have had to stop coaching the teams outside of school hours.

Even in the off-season the Bulldogs practise three times a weeks, preparing for a championship year. Without the three coaches, parents were asked to step up and help supervise the players during training. While some parents, such as Andrea Rempel, had already been volunteering for the team, a handful of others have come onboard.

Rempel has been using flex days at work to help the team every second Friday.

Keeping the teensB次元官网网址� heads in the game and in shape for the field will definitely help them for next season, but Harrington said itB次元官网网址檚 not crucial, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the off season, itB次元官网网址檚 not like the team would collapse. But when the kids can focus in the off-season, there will be less injuries and theyB次元官网网址檒l stay stronger.B次元官网网址�

No one feels the repercussions of the teacherB次元官网网址檚 job action more than the students itB次元官网网址檚 affecting.

For outside linebacker and quarterback, Brady Lockwood, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 been really tough.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 grateful they have had many parents and people in the community step up to help the team, though he admits, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little less organized.B次元官网网址�

On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays the football players hit the gym at DPL CrossFit.

Dave Warbeck, DPL owner, volunteered his space and his time to train the players prior to the B.C. teachers unionB次元官网网址檚 decision.

When the teachers could no longer help in the afternoons, Warbeck said it was even more important to step up and help the teams.

B次元官网网址淚 am here to help out our local athletes,B次元官网网址� said Warbeck, a former elite mountain bike racer.

Each training session usually accomodates more than 30 kids. Warbeck has also opened his gym to the varsity and junior varsity teams on Sundays.

Two of the teamsB次元官网网址� coaches who are not teachers have been able to stand by the players and continue to train them: John Richot, a Camosun College student, and J.C. Boice, a coaching consultant.

B次元官网网址淚 love these kids, I love the game of football and I am going to do what it takes to keep developing these guys,B次元官网网址� Boice said. B次元官网网址淚 am very excited to be working with the parents here at Belmont. They are doing a great job.B次元官网网址�

Boice runs the National Football Academies in the U.S. and brought 20 Belmont athletes to a Seattle camp in April.  Five parents stepped up to drive the players.

B次元官网网址淭hey wouldnB次元官网网址檛 allow us to take a school bus without a teacher,B次元官网网址� Rempel said.

Although the coaching teachers have fallen on some hurdles for the past few months, Harrington guarantees Belmont will have two football teams next year. B次元官网网址淲e will definitely have teams in the fall,B次元官网网址� Harrington said.

sports@goldstreamgazette.com