Canadian Junior Football League

Last updated
Canadian Junior Football League
CJFL logo.jpg
New CJFL logo as of the 2021 season
Sport Canadian football
Founded1974
CommissionerJim Pankovich
Motto"A Canadian Tradition Since 1883"
No. of teams19 teams, split into 3 conferences
Country Canada
Most recent
champion(s)
Saskatoon Hilltops (2023)
Official website cjfl.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) is a national Major Junior Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in five provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl. Many CJFL players move on to professional football careers in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and elsewhere.

Contents

Formed May 8, 1974, the CJFL's formal mission statement is: "The Canadian Junior Football League provides the opportunity for young men aged 17 to 22 to participate in highly competitive post-high school football that is unique in Canada. The goal of the league is to foster community involvement and yield a positive environment by teaching discipline, perseverance and cooperation. The benefits of the league are strong camaraderie, national competition and life-long friends."

A handful of standout players are typically signed directly to CFL rosters each season, while U Sports permits up to two years of play in leagues such as the CJFL before a player begins to lose eligibility.

The 9-team Quebec Junior Football League was formerly part of the CJFL, but eventually withdrew and now operates independently. Meanwhile, The Ontario Football Conference (OFC) consists of two divisions: Varsity Division (ages 11 to 19) and Junior Division (ages 17 to 22). [1] While the Junior Division remains affiliated to the CJFL and its teams compete for the Canadian Bowl, the Varsity Division is operated solely by the OFC. [1]

Current teams

ConferenceTeamCityStadiumFounded
Ontario Football Conference GTA Grizzlies Toronto, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium 2014
Ontario Football Conference Hamilton Hurricanes Hamilton, Ontario Tim Hortons Field 1963
Ontario Football Conference London Beefeaters London, Ontario City Wide Sports Complex1975
Ontario Football Conference Quinte Skyhawks Belleville, Ontario Mary Ann Sills Park2021
Ontario Football Conference Ottawa Sooners Ottawa, Ontario Keith Harris Stadium 1960
Ontario Football Conference St. Clair Saints Windsor, Ontario Acumen Stadium1929
Prairie Football Conference Calgary Colts Calgary, Alberta Shouldice Athletic Park1967
Prairie Football Conference Edmonton Huskies Edmonton, Alberta Clarke Stadium 1954
Prairie Football Conference Edmonton Wildcats Edmonton, Alberta Emerald Hills Sports Pavillion1948
Prairie Football Conference Regina Thunder Regina, Saskatchewan Mosaic Stadium 1999
Prairie Football Conference Saskatoon Hilltops Saskatoon, Saskatchewan SMF Field 1947
Prairie Football Conference Winnipeg Rifles Winnipeg, Manitoba Maple Grove Park 1999
B.C. Football Conference Kamloops Broncos Kamloops, British Columbia Hillside Stadium 2007
B.C. Football Conference Langley Rams Langley, British Columbia McLeod Stadium1948
B.C. Football Conference Okanagan Sun Kelowna, British Columbia Apple Bowl 1980
B.C. Football Conference Prince George Kodiaks Prince George, British Columbia Masich Place Stadium2022
B.C. Football Conference Valley Huskers Chilliwack, British Columbia Exhibition Stadium 1999
B.C. Football Conference Vancouver Island Raiders Nanaimo, British Columbia NDSS Field2005
B.C. Football Conference Westshore Rebels Langford, British Columbia Starlight Stadium 1971

Future teams

TeamCityStadiumFoundedFirst season
Sault College Cougars [2] [3] [4] Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Superior Heights Secondary School20232025
Lethbridge Vipers [lower-alpha 1] Lethbridge, Alberta Lethbridge Community Stadium 2020TBD
Former CJFL logo in use until 2021 CJFL Logo.png
Former CJFL logo in use until 2021
  1. Originally planned to play in 2022, but delayed to at least 2024. [5] [6] [7]

Defunct teams

Burlington Braves

Champions by city since 1947

Leader-Post Trophy, 1908–1973; Armadale Cup, 1974–1988; Canadian Bowl, 1989-present.

The national championship was contested from 1908 to 1946 with breaks for the World Wars and an additional break in the mid-1930s. In these years the championship was won by teams from Toronto (7 times), Montreal (6 times), Hamilton (4 times), Regina (2 times), and once each by Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, Ottawa, Petrolia, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and London.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Hockey League</span> Sports league

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. Many players have been drafted from WHL teams, and have found success at various levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minto Cup</span> Canadian lacrosse championship trophy

The Minto Cup is awarded annually to the champion junior men's box lacrosse team of Canada. The 2023 competition is in Edmonton, Alberta, from August 20-27.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Rams</span> Gridiron football team of the University of Regina

The Regina Rams represent the University of Regina, located in Regina, Saskatchewan, in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Rams joined U Sports in 1999 and have competed in the Canada West Conference since then. The program has won one U Sports football conference championship, in 2000, and the team has made one appearance in the Vanier Cup championship game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wally Buono</span> Canadian football league player and coach

Pasquale "Wally" Buono is a Canadian ex-football coach currently working as the vice president of football operations, alternate governor and the former head coach of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one of the most successful head coaches in league history. He has spent 22 years as head coach of the Calgary Stampeders and the Lions, which is tied for the most seasons coached all-time. On September 19, 2009, Buono became the CFL's all-time winningest coach when his Lions beat the Toronto Argonauts 23–17, giving him 232 regular-season victories, passing Don Matthews. He retired in 2011 with a CFL record 254 regular-season wins as head coach, to focus on duties as general manager for the Lions. In 2016, Buono came out of retirement to coach the Lions again through the 2018 season. In the final home game of the 2018 season, Buono was honored with the Bob Ackles Award as he was retiring from football with the most wins as a coach.

The Quebec Junior Football League (QJFL) is a junior Canadian football competition held in Quebec, Canada since 1970, as a successor to the Quebec Juvenile Football League. It began competition as a conference of the Canadian Junior Football League from which it eventually withdrew. Upon withdrawal from the CJFL, the QJFL incorporated teams from the Ottawa, Ontario region and created the league as it stands today. In one form or another, the QJFL can trace its roots back to 1908. Annually the League awards the regular season champions the Cyril T. White Trophy, and the playoff champions the Joe Pistilli Cup, formerly known as the Manson Cup.

Expenditures by federal and provincial organizations on scientific research and development accounted for about 10% of all such spending in Canada in 2006. These organizations are active in natural and social science research, engineering research, industrial research and medical research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Winter Olympics torch relay</span>

The 2010 Winter Olympics Torch Relay was a 106-day run, from October 30, 2009, until February 12, 2010, prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics. Plans for the relay were originally announced November 21, 2008, by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). Communities were initially informed in June 2008, but the locations were not announced for "security reasons". Exact routes were later announced several weeks before the start of the torch relay.

There are professional teams based in Canada in several professional sports leagues. The National Hockey League currently has seven Canadian franchises and is the most popular professional sports league in Canada. The Canadian Football League is the only all-Canadian major professional sports league. Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and Major League Soccer also have Canadian teams.

The 1985 CFL Draft composed of nine rounds where 81 Canadian football players were chosen from eligible Canadian universities and Canadian players playing in the NCAA. The 1985 draft was the first draft in Canadian Football League history wherein there were no territorial exemptions provided for teams to only draft players from the region in Canada where they were located.

The Northern Football Conference (NFC) is a semi-professional Canadian football league with franchises based primarily in Ontario, Canada. The league consists of eight teams and runs from May until mid-August. It's the oldest running senior amateur football league in Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 "OFC History". OFCVarsity.com. Ontario Football Conference. Archived from the original on December 7, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  2. "New Team on the Block: Sault College Cougars Join OFC". Ontario Football Conference. November 29, 2023.
  3. CJFL: Lethbridge Application submitted
  4. "Welcome Sault College Cougars". CJFL. November 29, 2023.
  5. "New Junior Football Club starting in Lethbridge". lethbridgenewsnow.com. Oct 8, 2020.
  6. CJFL: Lethbridge Application submitted
  7. "Prairie Football Conference 2022 Final Schedule" (PDF). CJFL. Retrieved June 2, 2022.