The spring and summer will be busy on the gridiron for Peter Gabriel, but the No Limits Quinte Skyhawks president wouldn't have it any other way.

The Skyhawks Junior (U16) and Senior Varsity (U18) teams kicked off their seasons with wins on the road versus the Peterborough Wolverines, and home openers against the Guelph Gryphons the past two weekends.

The two victories (25-21 for the Juniors, 36-7 for the Seniors) were achieved against a briefly stormy backdrop in Peterborough and Gabriel said this is the first time in the program’s short history that milestone has been achieved.

“Coming into a season like this one where you haven't played in two years, the unknown factor is huge,” Gabriel said.

“To see both clubs win, it just gives the guys gives everyone just a real confidence boost.”

The organization’s visions are even larger, however.

“I’d love to see both clubs, make the playoffs because pre-COVID, we still have yet to make the playoffs as a club.”

The eight-game varsity season will lead into the Under-22’s second season in the Canadian Junior Football League, starting with a training camp in August and the debut of the U14 team in the Provincial Fall League, which runs until October.

The CJFL team went 2-6 last season in the Ontario Football Conference and Gabriel, who is taking over as head coach for the departed Warren Gouldie this upcoming season, said the recruiting process has been successful so far.

Some players have been secured from across Ontario and outside the province in Manitoba, Quebec, and the United States.

A partnership with Loyalist College, which includes the use of the Varsity Sports Field, has helped attract a variety of players.

“One of them is he already did one year of university, but he wants to play football, so he's transferring all his first-year credits to Loyalist and coming here,” Gabriel explained.

“I'm open and honest with guys that are from other from other places, especially a long way away, to have them thinking about education first, have them thinking about getting to play football and then going through the due diligence, and recruiting them.”

If recruits choose not to go to school, Gabriel said the organization helps to find work to keep players busy in between games and practices.

Some of the newest recruits will be revealed on the CJFL National Signing Day on June 1 and Gabriel said the organization is further ahead than last year with COVID restrictions largely eliminated.

The varsity and CJFL teams have spurred growth in the younger age levels.

Gabriel said the organization is looking to get a U10 and U12 team started in the fall of 2023 to introduce the sport to prospective players in these age groups.

"We felt as an organization that especially through COVID, so many things have happened, and there have been so many factors that go into trying to get kids re-engaged back in participation and exercise and sport," he said.

“When you're dealing with U10s and U12s, they're like sponges. The big part of that development is showing that football is safe, you can play it safe if you coach the right way and play heads-up football. That’s what we're looking to do.”

The format will look a little different than the organization’s grassroots flag football program, Gabriel said.

“It's not a traditional-looking game. It’s six-on-six, the field is shortened, and (there are) coaches around the field."

Those coaches will teach youngsters about the fundamentals of the game, including how to properly tackle, how to protect the football while running, and much more.

The president gave credit to his coaches and instructors, many of whom have experience with the Skyhawks organization.

The Junior Varsity staff is led by Mark McFaul, while Justin Shakell helms the Senior Varsity crew, and current U22 players Carter Stephens, Jake Beale and Liam Wood are all giving back to the teams that helped develop them.

Those men also chip in with the younger age groups from time to time.

“I couldn't ask for a better coaching staff for both teams, with the pedigree of the years of coaching at the high school level and then add in the amount of time they grew up playing in university and so forth in the area.”

More on the Skyhawks can be seen on the team’s website or Facebook page.

Gameday pictures from this past weekend can be seen at W.J. Smith Photography.