You'd be hard pressed to find a sport as team oriented as football is. Each and every individual on the team has a role to play and one lapse can lead the whole team to fail, while on the other hand, with everyone working in unison, a team can become unstoppable.
The Bonnyville Bandits football team, and Bonnyville football in general, exemplify what it means to be a team and the Bandits in particular have shown what can be done when a team comes together and supports each other to its fullest.
The Bandits just celebrated winning the team's second straight Wheatland Bantam Football League and Northern Provincial championships at the team's annual awards banquet in Glendon this past Saturday.
Although the night was rightfully focused on the team and what it had accomplished, the theme of the evening quickly turned to thanking the wider Bandits family, made up of parents, friends, family, volunteers, and fans from all over the Bonnyville area.
People like Donna Jubinville, wife of Bandits head coach Dan Jubinville, were celebrated for the countless hours of hard work put into Bonnyville football over the years.
The fans were celebrated for all the support they've shown, not only at home games during the warmer months, but also on the road during those freezing cold late November playoff games, when the team needs them the most.
Individuals have donated both time and money to make football in Bonnyville a success. Businesses have stepped up to help the cause. It's a full team effort and everyone involved knows it.
Even the high school team, the Voyageurs, espouse the notion of community building and teamwork.
The Voyageurs won the team's third straight consolation championship this fall and it wasn't on the backs of just a few players from Bonnyville. It was with the efforts from players based all over the area, including Cold Lake and Glendon. Players coming from the public, Catholic, French schools to play together, coaches travelling from out of town, all just to be part of the team.
It takes a total team effort to build something great, whether it's a community, a business or a football program.
Bonnyville and the surrounding communities have started something special and with everyone chipping in there is no doubt it can be great.
