GTA Grizzlies

Last updated
GTA Grizzlies
GTA Grizzlies Logo.png
Established2014
Based in Etobicoke, Ontario
Home stadium Centennial Park Stadium
Head coachMike Leonard
League Canadian Junior Football League
DivisionOntario Football Conference
ColoursNavy blue, light blue and white
   
Website www.gtagrizzliesfootball.com

The GTA Grizzlies are a Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) team located in Etobicoke, Ontario and representing the Greater Toronto Area. They play in the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) which is part of the CJFL and compete annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl.

Contents

History

The Grizzlies were originally founded in 2014 by a group that included general manager, Mark Houlder, and team president, Karen Escoffery. [1] The team replaced the former Brampton Bears CJFL franchise, where Houlder was the head coach from 2010 to 2011, which operated from 2010 to 2013. [1] [2] While the two franchises are not related, many of the rights of former Bears players were transferred to the Grizzlies upon the team's creation. The team first began playing home games at Henry Carr Secondary School before moving to Centennial Park Stadium in 2015. [3] [4]

After Houlder was elected as the First Vice President of the Ontario Football Conference to the CJFL Executive Board, Mike Leonard returned as the team's head coach, having previously held the title in 2018. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brampton Battalion</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team

The Brampton Battalion were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team was based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and started playing in 1998. As a result of consistently having among the lowest attendance in the OHL, the team was relocated to North Bay, Ontario for the 2013–14 OHL season.

<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">Canadian Junior Football League</span> Canadian football league

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Croatia</span> Canadian soccer team

C.N.S.C. Toronto Croatia is a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, that plays in the Supergroup Open Division in the Canadian Academy of Futbol. The team's colours are red, white and blue, similar to those of the Croatia national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brampton Stallions</span> Former Canadian Soccer League team

Brampton Stallions were a Canadian soccer team, founded in 2001 as the Brampton Hitmen before changing its name in 2005. The team was a member of the Canadian Soccer League and played in the National Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Clair Fratmen</span> Canadian football team

The St. Clair Fratmen are a Canadian football team based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The team has played in the Canadian Junior Football League's Ontario Football Conference since the 1940s and won national titles in 1952, 1954, and 1999. The team was known as the Windsor AKO Fratmen until 2020 when the team was purchased by St. Clair College's Student Athletic Association.

In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate independently of the OHA. Finally in 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League.

Brampton Centennial Secondary School (BCSS) is a public high school located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Peel District School Board. In September 2008, BCSS had 1,775 students.

Bramalea Satellites was a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a senior league that preceded the Canadian Football League. When the ORFU ceased, it transferred over to the Northern Football Conference for the 1973 and 1974 seasons, and the Ontario junior level after that.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Toronto</span> Overview of sports traditions and activities in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has a long history of sport. It is home to a number of clubs, including the Granite Club, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club, the Argonaut Rowing Club, Toronto Argonauts football club, the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, and the Badminton and Racquet Club. A number of heritage venues have developed in Toronto such as: Christie Pits, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Varsity Arena, and Maple Leaf Gardens. Toronto is also the location of the Canadian Football League's headquarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langley Rams</span>

The Langley Rams are a Canadian Junior Football team based in Langley, British Columbia. The Rams play in the six-team B.C. Football Conference, which itself is part of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) and competes annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westshore Rebels</span>

The Westshore Rebels are a Canadian junior football team based in Langford, British Columbia. The Rebels play in the B.C. Football Conference, which itself is part of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) and competes annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl. The club has operated continuously since the late 1960s in Victoria, having previously been known as the Sharks, Payless, and the Hornets. The Rebels were founded in 1985 as the Victoria Payless, and were the BCFL champions in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamloops Broncos</span>

The Kamloops Broncos are a Canadian Junior football team based in Kamloops, British Columbia. The Broncos play in the six-team B.C. Football Conference (BCFC), which is part of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) and competes annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U Sports football</span> University competition in Canadian football

U Sports football is the highest level of amateur play of Canadian football and operates under the auspices of U Sports. Twenty-seven teams from Canadian universities are divided into four athletic conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of U Sports: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport. At the end of every season, the champions of each conference advance to semifinal bowl games; the winners of these meet in the Vanier Cup national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottawa Sooners</span> Canadian football team in Ottawa

The Ottawa Sooners are a Canadian football team based in Ottawa. The team plays in the Ontario Football Conference of the Canadian Junior Football League. The team has achieved success during its play in the CJFL, winning a total of four National Championships. After 35 years of competition (1960–1995) in the CJFL, the Sooners moved to the Quebec Junior Football League for the beginning of the 1996 season. There, the Sooners would win three Manson Cup Championships. The Sooners rejoined the CJFL for the start of the 2009 season. The Sooners have a long history in the city of Ottawa, and while playing in the QJFL they had developed a good rivalry with the Ottawa Junior Riders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ottawa Junior Riders</span> Junior Canadian football team

The Ottawa Junior Riders are a Canadian football team based in the Nepean area of Ottawa that plays in the Quebec Junior Football League. The Junior Riders play at the Nepean Sportsplex, but have previously called Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park their home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Beefeaters</span> Canadian Football team in Ontario, Canada

The London Beefeaters are a Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) team located in London, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) which is part of the CJFL, and compete annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Bay Battalion</span> Ontario Hockey League team in North Bay

The North Bay Battalion is a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was founded as the Brampton Battalion on December 3, 1996, and began play in 1998. The team relocated to North Bay prior to the 2013–14 OHL season.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinte Skyhawks</span> Junior Canadian football team

The Quinte Skyhawks are a Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) team located in Belleville, Ontario and representing the Quinte Region. The team plays in the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) which is part of the CJFL and compete annually for the national title known as the Canadian Bowl.

References

  1. 1 2 "Grizzlies prepare for football season". Brampton Guardian. August 1, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  2. "Four Brampton Bears junior players to participate in Argos rookie camp". Toronto Argonauts. May 31, 2010.
  3. "Braves take on Grizzlies in OFC". City News. August 25, 2014.
  4. "GTA Grizzlies home opener at Centennial Park Stadium". toronto.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  5. "Off-Season Forecast: GTA Grizzlies". Canadian Junior Football League. August 20, 2021.