RYAN MELANSON
PSP Halifax looks to revitalize flag football with training sessions
Ryan Melanson,
Trident Staff
Local military members with interest in flag football have been getting some professional pointers through a series of skill-building sessions on Stadacona’s Porteous Field.
Personnel Support Services (PSP) Halifax has partnered with Micah Brown of BATLX for the initiative. His company typically provides specialized training to young athletes looking to take their football skills to the next level on the way to post-secondary or professional play. For these sessions with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, the goals are a bit different.
“I’m not worried about the age or the skill level of the people. I just really enjoy teaching, and football happens to be my way of connecting with others. I’m looking to show them some new ways they can continue to learn and have fun with the game,” said Brown, who also works as the Director of Football Analytics and Receivers Coach for Saint Mary’s University. He’s also a former professional player, with experience in the Canadian Football League, German Football League, and the Arena Football League.
“We can always scale the concepts we’re looking to teach with the group that we have in front of us, to make sure they get the most from it,” he added. The group for the most recent session on October 7 spent more than an hour with Brown, being introduced to new skills and ideas, and then executing them with drills on the field.
“We got through some pretty complex instructions on the defensive side, and they were able to pick them up with no problems. There’s a lot that can happen in a short time when working with a small group,” Brown said.
Flag football has a history at CFB Halifax. The annual Mini Grey Cup flag football games between the Wardroom Officers and Fleet Club Slackers went strong for decades, with the 50th edition taking place in 2019. Interest in the sport has waned since then – the training sessions with BATLX are a first step in identifying new players and hopefully establishing new base teams. Future games on base will stay true to flag football’s no-tackle ruleset, increasing accessibility for those who would like to play.
PSP Halifax Fitness and Sports Coordinator Kevin Miller said more than 100 local CAF members have added themselves to PSP’s flag football mailing list, indicating an interest in playing. Visit http://cfmws.ca/Halifax/football-survey to fill out a quick survey and be included on further base football updates.
“We’ve seen some good interest and enthusiasm so far, and this has been a great opportunity for players to receive professional instruction at no cost,” Miller said.
Flag football on Porteous Field will continue on October 16 with recreational pick-up games scheduled from noon – 1 p.m., and Brown will be back for the next BATLX session at the same time on October 21. All interested CAF members are welcome to attend.
