15th annual Spring Jamboree set for June 21

LEDUC -- Leduc Cats Minor Football will be hosting their 15th annual Spring Jamboree this Sunday.

This year's event will once again take place at William Lede Park and will feature a full day of youth tackle football with 28 different teams from Edmonton and area, along with food trucks, raffles, and more. Laura Dublanko, President of the Leduc and District Minor Football Association, says this weekend's Spring Jamboree is shaping up to be another memorable event.

"I would love to encourage the community to come out for the day, and experience a full day of football, food, fun, and cheering on, especially our Leduc Cats, but other teams as well," said Dublanko. "We have the Edmonton Elks coming; they'll be setting up a tent for autographs, and we also have our 50/50 draw."

On the west side of the park, U-11 and U-13 competition will take place on the rugby fields, while the main football field will be mostly home to the U-16 action. The games will get underway starting at 9:00 a.m. and feature teams from Leduc, Beaumont, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Camrose, among others. Dublanko says events like these are a great way for young athletes to learn the sport. 

"It's really important that these kids are able to get that first feel for football, especially for the U-11 level, a lot of these kids came from flag football or other sports," said Dublanko. "We've had athletes in our program that have started at the age of 10, and they've gone on to the high school level, colleges, and we've also had several go on to play in the CFL. This is a great starting point for these kids to learn the game and love the game."

For the Spring Jamboree's Father's Day 50/50 raffle, each purchase will receive one entry into the 50/50 draw and one entry into the Father's Day prize raffle. Food vendors will be located on the north side of Lede Park near 48 Avenue, along with the first aid tent.