THUNDER BAY -- After a year on the sidelines, next fall the Superior Collegiate Gryphons will return to high school football competition.
With school board administration recommending the north-side school close -- a decision later reversed by board trustees -- and the team unable to field full rosters at either the junior or senior level, Superior Collegiate officials chose to take a one-year hiatus from the sport and re-evaluate at a later date.
On Friday school officials held a pep rally at the school gymnasium, where they announced a plan to field football teams at both levels in 2017, spurred by a $3,000 donation from Nissan’s Kickoff Project.
“It means a lot to me,” said Ethan Mauro, one of 16 students allowed to play football this season with the Hammarskjold Vikings, a compromise agreed to by both schools.
“I started playing at this school and the past two years are probably some of the best I’ve ever had. I was very bummed we couldn’t have a team. I think that we’ll be able to bring it back and we have all this extra support, it’s phenomenal.”
Teammate Justin Kundrat, also playing for the Vikings in 2016, said the move will boost school spirit.
“I’ve been going here since Grade 9 and I love this school,” the Grade 11 student said. “Just to put on our colours and all the coaching staff, they give 100 per cent all the time. It means a lot.”
The move comes at a critical time for the high school football leagues. Down to five teams, without Superior Collegiate it was starting to look like both junior and senior circuits would fall to four by next fall, when Westgate and Sir Winston Churchill high schools are merged.
Gryphons coach Warren Nieckarz said he didn't just want to put players on the field, adding he's hopeful the support from Nissan may attract more athletes to the school next year and beyond.
“It helps kids to realize that we are serious about football. Having more opportunities for the kids builds a stronger community inside the school,” Nieckarz said.
The program has had a rocky history since Superior Collegiate opened in 2009.
The senior team was abandoned in 2014, only to return in 2015 for one season, when an 0-7 campaign stretched the Gryphons losing streak to 26 games.
The junior team folded for two seasons starting in 2012, returning in 2014 and 2015 when it posted a combined 1-9 record.
Principal Michelle Probizanski said it wasn’t an easy decision to not offer football this school year, but she’s glad to have it back and supported by so many students and teachers.
She sees big things for the program moving forward.
“We had a good number of students coming out for practices at the beginning of the year, but just not enough to always have 24 on the field, outfitted at this point. But I do feel confident that there are a lot of students that have shown interest in football at Superior and that we can build that back up with our Grade 8s next year,” Probizanski said.
