Youth football players in Chestermere are getting a chance to hit the field early this summer. The Chestermere Chiefs Football Club is hosting its Bantam Spring Camp from June 12 to 14 at Murdoch Park in Calgary’s Bridgeland-Riverside area. The camp is for athletes born in 2012 or 2013, plus those born in 2011 who are currently in Grade 9, typically ages 13 to 15—and wraps up with a family barbecue on the final day.
Parents need to register their players with the Calgary Bantam Football Association through the RAMP system before stepping on the field. “Before attending the camp, please make sure you are registered with the CBFA through this link,” the team states on its event page. The camp runs June 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., June 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and June 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the barbecue following right after.
The Chestermere Chiefs is a volunteer-run club that gives kids ages 8 to 14 from Chestermere, Langdon, and nearby areas a chance to play tackle and flag football. All coaches are trained in safe contact through Minor Football Calgary. Chris Bailey, the club’s president, was the founding Bantam Head Coach when the program started in 2018, and since then the spring camp has become a regular way for young players to get ready for the fall season.
For families thinking about the full Bantam season, registration fees are $650, plus a $162.50 equipment deposit and a $100 fundraising and volunteer bond. Payment plans are available. The regular season usually kicks off the first Tuesday in August with a month of practices, with Bantam practices held at Murdoch Park before moving indoors to the Genesis Centre in October.
With the camp just a week away, families have a tight window to sign up. The spring camp gives newcomers and returning players a head start on skills and teamwork before the official season begins.
