Winnipeg summers are short and family time is important. As a result the general philosophy of the club has been to NOT participate in preseason tournaments which would require much earlier practice start dates and conflicts with other activities. We try to balance the motivation to give families as much summer holiday time as possible before practices with the need to ensure our players are prepared to play once the regular season begins.
For those families that have the option, booking summer holidays or other activities (such as summer camp) in the first few weeks of July helps to ensure there won't be missed practice time. However, we understand options can be limited and you may need to book holidays/activities later in the summer. The coaches will work with you as required. Please note that each coach must keep the safety of all players in mind and ensure that a player is adequately prepared before playing in a tackle football game. Ideally players will be able to participate in as many practices as possible before the season begins in mid August.
Per the MMFA BY-Laws (ages 7-14) all practices and camps held during June and July must be optional for players to attend. No player shall be disciplined nor discriminated against for missing practice in June or July.
