Our newsroom extends a hearty congratulations to the George McDougall Mustangs football team, who upset the odds to achieve the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) banner on Oct. 28. The Mustangs overcame the perennially strong Cochrane Cobras to claim their first division banner since 2014.
Though divisional play is wrapped up, the Mustangs have the opportunity to extend their 2022 season into a provincial playoff push this Friday, when they take on the Okotoks-based Holy Trinity Academy (HTA) Knights in a Tier II provincial qualifier.
However, they won't have home advantage. While the game was originally supposed to be held at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park on Nov. 5, HTA refused to play on a grass surface at this point of the season, citing increased risk of injury.
The two teams will compromise by hosting the game at Bow Valley High School's turf field, in Cochrane, this Friday.
According to the Mustangs' head coach Chris Glass, the game's relocation adds to the argument that Airdrie needs an artificial grass sports field of its own – something he and other football coaches in town have been advocating for since 2018. While that project has made some headway, the pandemic appears to have slowed fundraising efforts.
A turf field would certainly benefit Airdrie economically. Glass said he'd heard up to 400 Okotoks families were planning to come to Airdrie for the game this weekend. Instead, those families will be heading to Cochrane on Friday, where many will likely spend money on gas and food.
Sports teams in Cochrane have enjoyed local access to a turf field for nearly a decade. The amenity at Bow Valley High School has been such a boon over the years that a second turf field is currently being built at cross-town Cochrane High School. The field is, in fact, nearly ready to host a game of its own.
Hopefully, Airdrie sports teams will have a similar such amenity to play on in the years to come.
