The Montreal Alouettes have announced the creation of a new flag football academy for both boys and girls, partnering with Montreal Mavericks and Football Quebec for a first in the CFL initiative.
The Alouettes Flag Football Academy will have four participating teams, all of which will take part in the 2025 Youth Flag Football World Championships in Orlando, Fla. from February 28 through March 2. Veteran defensive back Najee Murray will serve as head coach for the official Als teams, while the rest of his staff will be made up of coaches from the Mavericks — Montreal’s largest flag football organization.
“We are very excited about the launch of the Alouettes Flag Football Academy. Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports in Canada, and our new academy will provide us with an opportunity to grow our amateur football development initiatives while reaching both boys and girls that are enjoying this sport,” Alouettes president Mark Weightman said in a statement.
“We look forward to working with Mavericks, who have done an exceptional job developing flag football in Montreal. They have built a solid infrastructure that successfully manages leagues, teams, and clinics at all age levels.”
Alouettes players help out during weekly training sessions with the Mavericks between March 2 and April 27 in order to prepare athletes for the upcoming flag football season and the National Championship at Concordia University in May. The AFFA will also help organize various flag football clinics throughout the year to help the development of the sport.
“By partnering with [the Mavericks] on this project, our aim is to help grow the notoriety and popularity of the game and to contribute to the success of the elite level of Flag Football throughout Québec,” Weightman continued. “We want to guide and teach the best talent in the country in hopes of helping them earn a roster spot on the Canadian Flag Football Olympic Team as soon as 2028 in Los Angeles.”
Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country and has gained a meaningful foothold in Quebec, which has produced the last three women’s collegiate national champions.
Flag football will be included as part of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, though there is no guarantee that Team Canada will qualify for the event. Both the men’s and women’s national team finished off the podium at the World Championships last August.
