Regina football program works to build skills, techniques in young players

Wolverines Football Training Inc. focuses on taking youth to the next level in their game building on speed, strength and agility, as well as skills and techniques.

Born in May 2021, the program closes the off season gap running from November until late July around the Regina Minor Football (RMF) season.

“Better their skills and better their ability not only in football, but just in leadership and community involvement all together,” said executive director Justin Nagy.

They also work on combine drills and teach them about the various combines held within the province.

During the winter months, much of the training is done at their indoor facility.

Saturday was the official grand opening of the facility, but it has been in use with the program since November.

The program has grown 600 per cent since it first opened last spring, from 5 athletes to 34.

Jacob Melenchuk said he became part of the program to get more conditioning training looking forward to heading in to this season with more skills.

“Last year wasn't a very good year so I wanted to come back and get better,” said Melenchuk.

Easton Milos is also a fan of the conditioning offered by Wolverines Football favouring the program over the regular season.

“I like it here better because there’s lots of more conditioning,” said Milos. “Which I think I need and it’s a lot more drills, and I think, more effective drills.”

Nagy said program pricing is kept affordable through fundraising and sponsorship in order to be available to all athletes.

They also provide a player sponsorship allowing Wolverines Football to never say no to an athlete who wants to learn or improve.

Only a year into the program, they already have their eyes set on growth looking to expand to a larger facility.

"Having that ability to have that full field with the ability where we can throw, kick do whatever is definitely our five to 10-year outlook," said Nagy.

Wolverines Football also want to add another pillar reaching out to troubled youth to help them find a passion while learning leadership and commitment.

Nagy said he started the program as a way to give back to the community passing on what he was taught about the sport.

The co-ed program has age groups aligning with those of RMF, as well as what they call “Cubs, which teaches children five to seven-years-old the fundamentals of football.