The Sports Corner

BC HS Football playoffs outdoors

With the playoffs at Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park this year as opposed to BC Place Stadium, there are several things coaches, players and officials will have to take into account.

1. Weather.

2. It’s a soccer field.

3. The goalposts at the south end of the field are in the wrong spot.

4. There are no hash marks.

5. It’s as dark as an alley off East Hastings Street. 

6. There isn’t enough room for teams to prepare for the next game. 

There was some snow in the forecast for this weekend but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen now. However, by Dec. 5, the day of the championship game, there will be snow on the field. Footing will be an issue and the more explosive players won’t be able to make cuts. It could turn into a one-cut runner’s paradise.

Because it’s more of a soccer field than a football field, the yard lines aren’t as prominent as the 20-yard box, which makes finding the end zone a little tricky sometimes. Snow would only decrease visibility of the lines.

Wind is also going to play a big factor, tonight’s an especially windy night and in the first game Rick Hansen narrowly missed a field goal as time expired to win the game (they ended up winning in OT anyways).

That’s how the goalposts come into play. At the south end of the field, the goal posts are at the front of the end zone (like in the CFL), at the north end, they are in the correct position, at the back of the end zone (like the NFL). Teams going into the south end zone have a distinct advantage in the kicking game.

Though I’ve already seen one receiver, trying to make a catch at the south end zone, think he was at the back of the end zone when really he was only at the one-yard line. The receiver didn’t keep running into the end zone and the pass flew over his head. 

The lack of hash marks could also be an issue for the referees, especially if we get some snow.

At 5 p.m. on the first Saturday of the playoffs, the back of the two end zones are incredibly dark. It’s difficult to make out where the back line is. They might want to think about adding a couple of cones along the back line to mark it off. 

Of course the teams trying to warm up for the next game aren’t helping with the end zone issue. There isn’t enough room for the teams to prepare, especially in the south end zone because the field goal posts are set up for Canadian rules. Someone could get injured while they are warming up for the next game, coaches need to be careful their players are weary of the game on the field if someone is threatening to score a touchdown.