Canadian Junior Football League 
Canadian Junior Football League |
| Sport | Canadian football |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Commissioner | Ron Osterkampf |
| Motto | "A Canadian Tradition Since 1890" |
| No. of teams | 19 teams, split into 3 conferences (two with 6 teams and one with 7 teams) |
| Country(ies) | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | Vancouver Island Raiders |
| Official website | CJFL.net |
The Canadian Junior Football League is a national amateur Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in six provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl. Many CJFL players have gone on to professional football careers in the CFL and elsewhere.
The CJFL's formal mission statement is: "The Canadian Junior Football League provides the opportunity for young men aged 17 to 22 to participated in highly competitive post-high school football that is unique in Canada. The goal of the league is to foster community involvement and yield a positive environment by teaching discipline, perseverance and cooperation. The benefits of the league are strong camaraderie, national competition and life-long friends."
A handful of standout players are typically signed directly to CFL rosters each season, while Canadian Interuniversity Sport permits up to two years of play in leagues such as the CJFL before a player begins to lose eligibility.
The 9-team Quebec Junior Football League was formerly part of the CJFL, but eventually withdrew and now operates independently.
[edit] Current Teams
[edit] Defunct Teams
- Abbotsford Air Force (Abbotsford, B.C.)
- North Vancouver Argos (North Vancouver, B.C.)
- Richmond Raiders (1978-1992, Richmond, B.C.)
- Tri-City Bulldogs (1925-2004, Coquitlam, B.C.)
- Regina Rams (Regina, Saskatchewan, moved to the CIS)
- Fort Garry Lions (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- St. Vital Mustangs (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- Winnipeg Hawkeyes (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- Winnipeg Rods (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- Brantford Bisons (Brantford, Ontario)
- Cornwall Emards (Cornwall, Ontario)
- Oshawa Hawkeyes (Oshawa, Ontario)
- Ottawa Junior Riders (Ottawa, Ontario, moved back to the QJFL after 2005)
- Sault Ste. Marie Storm (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
- Thunder Bay Giants (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
- Chateauguay Ramblers (Chateauguay, Quebec)
- Laval Scorpions (Laval, Quebec)
- Notre-Dame-de-Grace Maple Leafs (Montreal, Quebec, merged with the Verdun Invictus, renamed to the Verdun Maple Leafs, then the Montreal Junior Alouettes, and finally the Montreal Junior Concordes)
- St. Hubert Rebelles (Saint-Hubert, Quebec)
- Verdun Shamcats (Verdun, Quebec)
- Ville-Émard Juveniles (Ville-Émard, Quebec)
[edit] External links
