Metro Toronto Wildcats

The Organization....
"For us, Every Season is Football Season!"

The idea of the Wildcat Football Club arose out of the ashes of the 1998 Teachers Work-To-Rule. This action precluded teachers from coaching and thus no high school football would be played that fall. At the time, Chuck Richardson, Lawrence Park article3.jpg (10234 bytes)

High School senior head coach and President of the article1.jpg (8550 bytes)

non-profit Lawrence Park Football Alumni Association (LPFAA) had foreseen this action and co-founded a fall league named the Southern Ontario Football Conference (S.O.F.C.). The league was made up of 6 teams, 4 from the exisitng Great Lakes Football League and 2 independents, Belleville and Lawrence Park. The name "Wildcats" was adopted in place of the high school "Panthers" so as to not to insult the teachers at the school who saw Coach Richardson's action as weakening their position. The "strike season" was unique and successful. The LPFAA Wildcats fielded a team that represented 14 different schools and allowed over 50 players to play the game they otherwise would not have had the opportunity. The team received unprecedented media coverage as the season progressed. The LPFAA recognized the strength of these Great Lakes league teams from Mississauga, Guelph, Brampton, and Windsor (Essex) and was only able to win one game against Belleville. But the LPFAA was proud to have succeeded in fulfilling their mandate to provide an opportunity for these student athletes and the table was set for what was about to come. That winter, several teams from the under 20 Great Lakes Football League split to form a separate summer league called the Ontario Varsity Football League. The LPFAA unanimously voted to apply for entry into the new 8-team league and was accepted as the "Lawrence Park Wildcats" without a vote, a demonstration of respect for the LPFAA's lead in the previous fall. The team, under Head Coach Chuck Richardson, OC Frank Panos (now HC of the Toronto Thunder), and Northern DC John Prisco, would hold its first practice on April 3rd, 1998. Over 50 players would take the field for the month long pre season camp. Although the Cats would not make the playoffs in '99, the word was out that Wildcat Football was on the move. In 2001 the LPFAA decided to mirror the rapidly growing OVFL and expand the Wildcats program to include a junior program for 15-17 year olds. To accommodate this, the LPFAA expanded at the administrative level as well. A dedicated eight person Wildcats Board was established, Chuck Richardson stepped aside as coach to assume the role of President/General Manager full time and John Prisco then stepped in as Head Coach. The Board secured a $24,600 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and a new name was adopted for the club...the Metro Toronto Wildcats (MTW) were born. Since 2002 the MTW has become a very respected member of the now 42 team OVFL and Toronto's football community. On the field, the Varsity team broke out in 2003 with its first ever playoff birth and in '04 and '05 made it all the way to the OVFL semi-finals. The Junior team made the playoffs for the first time in 2005 and with the strong coaching staff in place will continue to be a playoff team. Several new directors and coaches have been attracted to the program and with their help, MTW continues to break down barriers to participation for young men of any background or financial status. The costs of offering the MTW program are offset partly by player fees and partly by fundraising events each year. They include our Annual WildNight Banquet and Auction, game day gate, concessions and game program sales, sponsorships and donations. Players needing financial assistance can tap into one or more of these fundraisers to subsidize his fee , such as seasons tickets sales or ad space sales in the game programs. This MTW option for these people is becoming more and more appealing and necessary in a world where choices at this time can set the tone for the rest of their lives. For the MTW, every season is football season and every young man can play.

The League...
"To provide players, ages 19 and under who reside in Ontario, the opportunity to play football where their skills will be upgraded and opportunities provided to continue their football career's through education or junior football"

The Ontario Varsity Football League (ovfootball.ca) began as an 8 team league in 1999 and represented a summer football opportunity for players under 20 years of age. In 2001, the league added a junior division to cater to the under 17 players. The League, administered by a 5 man Board of Directors, now boasts 42 teams in both Tiers and is the largest single amateur football League in North America. Each Tier is divided into two conferences of 2 divisions each. MTW plays in the Wettges Conference, Central Division with the Toronto (Scarborough) Thunder, Etobicoke Eagles, Mississauga Warriors, Oshawa Hawkeyes and Simcoe Storm. The MTW recruiting territory is defined by postal codes and is roughly bound by Pickering to the east, Etobicoke to the west, Steeles to the North and the Lake to the south. Most teams including the Metro Toronto Wildcats have a winter camp beginning in February and ending in mid April when teams go outdoors for pre-season camp. The regular season runs from last weekend in May until the Championship in mid August. Practices run in the evenings 2 or 3 times per week with games on the weekends. Each team must be represented to the League by a team Governor who attends all official League functions. Each team pays a league fee which covers operating expenses including referees and luxury coach travel. Each team then sets their own team fees and policies. Because the league tends to draw the most dedicated of football players, the OVFL is a considered by university coaches on both sides of the border to be a plethora of football talent and is heavily recruited.

The People...
"It's the people that make this work"

MTW functions as well as it does because of the quality people who volunteer their time all year round. They serve a broad range of functions including

fundraising, purchasing, administration, accounting and football

operations. They are the directors, governors, coaches, parents, athletic therapists, statisticians, game day staff and community members who all share in the understanding that the MTW effort is important to the positive growth of the players in this program. The MTW Board of Directors together with a small group of board consultants meet at regular intervals throughout the year and discuss everything from jersey colors to the Player Code of Conduct to provincial grants - everything related to the growth of MTW football. Once the Head coach of each team is carefully selected by the MTWB he is further entrusted to bring on his own qualified coaches. The HC is responsible for his staff and reports to the MTWB through his Team "Governor" who has the dual role as liaison to the OVFL. The MTWB organizes several fundraising activities each year and relies on a community volunteer base for support. Parents typically fill this role but more participation from parents is needed. With expansion into the Pee Wee level anticipated in the near future, even more dedicated people serving the full scope of support functions will be needed to ensure the current level of organizational efficiency and quality of experience for the players continues.

The Players...
"The players are the ambassadors of the program"

MTW works as hard as it does to ensure that anyone in the under 19 age group can play the game of football. While the MTW program is considered a "rep" program, players from any experience and skill level can join. At the Varsity level, once the optimum limit of players is met, any players above that number are asked to participate as practice roster players, also referred to as a "Taxi Squad." These players are essentially "on call" should any player on the active game day roster be placed on injury list or leave the team. These players pay a reduced fee adjusted depending on the amount of time on the active roster but otherwise receive the same experiences and "perks" as the other players. At the junior level, all players that can be equipped will dress for games. The MTW JV does not cut players. While with MTW, each player or guardian will sign a "Player Code of Conduct" which governs all aspects of participation on an MTW team. In this way, every player is accountable and his experience will be dictated by his own actions. While we cannot control a players actions outside the field, we expect MTW players to be solid citizens and consider themselves ambassadors of the MTW program. Since 1999, over 400 players have been drawn from over 40 GTA schools in the MTW recruiting territory. Over 70 of those have gone on to play football at the University level both is Canada and the United States. For players who are still in high school, they are returned to their respective school teams a far more confident and experienced player. In the near future MTW hopes to expand to include a pee wee division for 13-15 year olds.

The Future...
"a strong base means a strong MTW"

The development of the game at the younger age level is a priority for the MTW. With that in mind, in 2007 the MTW will be entering a Pee Wee team in the new All-Star Pee Wee Football League (APFL) for players under 15 years of age as of May 31st of the playing year. There is also the possibility of a second Pee Wee team being entered into the South Central Ontario Football League (SCOFL) as well. Regardless, expansion on the field means expansion off the field and and the MTW will need more volunteers to support it. In the upcoming months, MTW will be actively seeking additional directors, coaches and support staff to assist in our new Pee Wee effort. Furthermore, MTW will apply for a second Trillium grant to offset some or all of the costs of the new program and practice fields will have to be secured. It is a very dynamic and exciting time for the MTW and the beneficiaries will be for the kids in the Toronto area who need a chance to play this great game.