Following a 100-per-cent record in the regular season, École Davis Road Elementary’s football teams are heading into the playoffs with high hopes.
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are undefeated heading into the post-season which starts on Thursday.
The playoffs includes teams from all across School District 68.
Sean Walsh is the coach of the girls’ team at École Davis Road (EDR).
“We’ve had a really good season [so far],” he said. “The regular season was a four-game season, and we went 4-0 so got a bye into the semi-final of the playoffs.”
Walsh’s troops will come up against the winner of the quarter-final between Frank J. Ney Elementary of Nanaimo or Gabriola Elementary, located on Gabriola Island.
Walsh, who teaches Grade 6/7 at EDR, will take his team on the road away from home for the semi-final clash — a scenario he finds rather puzzling after winning every game thus far.
Despite a preference for soccer, Walsh is enjoying the success of this current football team.
“Traditionally, girls have always played soccer and the boys have played football (in elementary school),” he said. “Recently though, the girls’ [local] PE program took soccer out.”
It wasn’t a move Walsh was particularly fond of.
“It was unfortunate,” he said. “I used to coach the girls’ soccer team, and we had a lot of success. It’s a little easier to field a team and easier to understand.
“Our kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Mould, however really likes football and she taught it to me.”
Janelle Mould coached the boys’ football team to an undefeated 3-0-2 record in the regular season.
“We are the defending district small school champions, so we are coming into this season with high expectations,” she said. “We have six returning players and four new to Davis Road football this year. We have been working hard on developing sound skills and positioning in defence. Our defence has been strong, allowing only five touchdowns to be scored on us.”
Mould feels they have a well-rounded team this year, with good hands, speed and overall knowledge and understanding of the game.
“It’s been a fun season,” she said. “[They are] great kids with great personalities.”
“We are really wanting this district title repeat because the district’s proposed school changes, including moving the Grade 7s to Ladysmith Secondary School, will have a drastic effect on our sports program,” added Mould. “We want to have a fantastic year with sports.”
— with files from Lindsay Chung
