The Brampton Bears Football Club is proud to announce and make public the 2012 game schedule. All Bears games will be played at Chinguacousy Park Stadium.

2012 marks season three for the Bears and all in the organization are counting on it to be the charm.

With  loads of new on field talent and a host of very dedicated executive and volunteers General Manager Craig Boyd is extremely excited to have the actual dates and times for our games set. “We have been working very hard and bringing in lots of new players that will make this team much better, it’s fun to know who and when we will be playing” says Boyd.

“Our players , coaches and volunteers have stayed focused on growth and massive improvement, it will be exciting to get to it”

When asked about team goals all Boyd would say “we will be better”

“Our commitment is and will always be to continue to grow the organization, provide a high level program for our players and of course win a championship”

All games in Brampton will be an exciting place to be, each game will feature entertainment and lots of energy by our event staff. These coming attractions will be announced in the coming months.

“We would like to make coming to our stadium a very special event for our city and it’s families, we will have lots to offer folks to go along with our new exciting on field product. Improving our on and off field activities is going to be a lot of fun, we want to make Ian Proud” Says Boyd

Referring of course to longtime Brampton Minor Football Association President Ian Smith. “ Ian has Brampton Football in his DNA and all of us want to deliver a winner for him”

Smith has had mountains of success with one of the most successful organizations in the country (BMFA) and the new Bears management and coaches want to add the success of this club to Ian’s accolades.

Look for upcoming player and coaching profiles to be announced along with Bears game packages.

This is a reminder that we are getting together for our second series of mini camps this coming weekend.

The address is  Brampton Soccer Centre. Brampton Soccer Centre. 1495 Sandalwood Pkwy. E. • Dixie Rd & Sandalwood Pkwy • 905-458-4036 • soccercentre@brampton.ca

Please remember that you are required to bring a $50.00 payment for each day that will be deducted from your season fee’s. If you did not pay at our last session you are required to pay that instalment this weekend as well.

Special Guests 

For this weekends sessions Jim Barker the GM of the Toronto Argo’s will be present with staff to begin the process of evaluating players. I confirmed Jim’s attendance earlier this week and I am thrilled that he and his crew will be on site to begin looking for future talent.

“When Jim and I met a few weeks back there was big interest in the Bears” says Boyd. “Jim felt that there was a great opportunity to partner our organizations to build the Bears success today and at the same time produce some Toronto CFL Players for the future”.

Come to the sessions early and be ready to work hard. The season is just around the corner but the future is now.

“With us looking to have a new look going into 2012, we needed someone who could work with our creative team to meet our vision, Dale and his team are a great fit”

Another very important factor in this partnership is that 11th Hour is a Brampton based company. ” I love the fact that Dale is from our neighborhood, I love that he is a Brampton sports fan. This is a great partnership for the Bears” says Boyd

The new look Bears will work with 11th hour over the coming weeks to design our new look.

Please Join us in Welcoming Dale and his team to the Bears family

This means you are there a few minutes prior to 9:30 am so your meeting with GM can be on time. Craig Boyd will have a brief chat with you all to set organizational expectations for the year, introduce coaches and front office staff and collect your attendance fees.

It all starts this Saturday

Players that are attending camp are required to pay $50.00 for each session. These fee’s will be applied to your 2012 player fee’s.

Everyone is expected to be on time and ready to workout.

Camp Dates & Agenda

Day 1 – Saturday March 10th 9:30 – 10:20am Players meet with General Manager / Head Coach. During this time will be setting our clubs expectations for the upcoming season. Pictures and other adminstration will be attended to at this time. ($50.00 required from each player in order to take the field)

Day 1 – On field – 10:30 – 3:30pm – Head Coach Tommy Denison will outline the day and entire mini camp agenda at that time and begin workouts. Please come with athletic gear for your workout.

Day 2 – Saturday April 14th 9:30 – 10:20am – Players meet with General Manager / Head Coach for meeting and administration. ($50.00 required from each player in order to take the field)

Day 2 – On Field – 10:30am – 3:30 pm – Head Coach Tommy Denison to run workouts.

Day 3 Sunday April 15th 9:30 – 10:20 am – Players meet with General Manager / Head Coach meeting and administration ($50.00 required from each player in order to take the field)

Day 3 on Field 10:30 – 3:30 pm – Head Coach Tommy Denison to run team workouts.

General Manager Craig Boyd and the Brampton Bears Football Club are extremely excited to announce the hiring of Tommy Denison as our new Head Coach.
“Over the last several weeks I have talked with Tommy many times about his vision, philosophies and how he will structure things from day one, I am very confident we got the right guy” Denison has assembled a very talented staff ensuring that all positions and coordinator spots are filled with the kind of coaches that will develop our players into winners.

Tommy has a very impressive football resume including two Hec Crighton (back to back) with the Queens Golden Gaels. (CIS most outstanding player) Also playing for three CFL teams (Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto) has given Tommy the structure and knowledge to greatly serve the Bears.

When asked what best prepared him to take over the Bears he cited work ethic and his mentors.

“Being blessed to be coached by Matt Dunnigan (Former Calgary Head Coach who drafted Denison into CFL), Kent Austin (Former CFL Great) , Pat Sheehan, one of the most decorated coaches in CIS history and Andy McEvoy (Ottawa Sooners great) very much taught me that dedication, structure and the importance of striving for excellence is the foundation of success”

Over the past several years Tommy has been very involved in coaching at various levels including CIS, OFC, BCFC and the NFC. Along with his playing history the particular stops on his coaching career were very important to Boyd as knowing how to reach and develop players of this age is critical.

Menezes asked Denison how he feels about being the Head Coach and having the keys to the car versus the more specialized roles he has filled in the past and what we can expect from the Bears offence and defense.

“I’m Very excited; this is my first head coaching opportunity after numerous roles as coordinators and positional jobs. I am confident that the education I received from my previously mentioned mentors has me extremely prepared”.

“As far as the looks you can expect, you will have to wait and see but you can be assured that on the defensive side of the ball we will be fast and play very aggressive”. “Everyone will just have to wait and see what the offence will look like, Craig and I have these ideas locked away in the vault until opening night”.

Asked to both Boyd and Denison how their individual background and styles fit the rebuild of the Bears and to move the team into a position to compete for a championship.

“I am incredibly excited to take over the youthful football program. We have built a very talented coaching staff and have begun a massive recruiting program to begin our quest for a championship”. “I am grateful to our GM Craig Boyd for providing me with this tremendous opportunity and I am excited about the vision we share in becoming the premier program in the OFC. We both are roll up our sleeves kind of guys and welcome the hard work to make this vision a reality” says Denison.

Boyd’s response was started with a bit of a chuckle, “over the past several years I have been a West Jet guy but I have to say that Air Canada these days growing in my esteem” (Boyd regularly refers to Denison as Air Canada for his passing dominance over the years) I have spent time as a player in the OFC with great success and Tommy and his background is a perfect fit”. “In our shared NFC history I spent countless amount of time trying to figure out how to stop him to no avail”. “I figured the best way to neutralize him from killing us was to hire him”. “Tommy is a good guy and a good football guy, I feel great about this move, now I can concentrate on recruiting, and building the organization which is in terrific shape moving into 2012”.

The duo will be announcing a series of team activities starting in the next few weeks including mini camps running consistently right into our full time training camp. Players are encouraged to be watching the website and more importantly working on their fitness. In his recruiting efforts Boyd and Denison are adamant that camp is not to get into shape. It is not in any player’s best interest to come to camp out of shape, with expected competition at each position we encourage all players to make the decisions difficult.

Please join us in welcoming Dennis to the Team

Please join us in welcoming Mario to the Team.

Having credited so many experiences and former mentors as the reason Football remains his first love, perhaps none more than the years he played centre for the heavily decorated Ottawa Sooners. “I was blessed to be there at a great time, we had a very structured organization, many great coaches and great players” Having played under Greg Marshall, Donnie Smith, Al Moffat and Football Canada Executive Rick Sowieta Boyd is trained and excited to get started.

“Being part of several OFC Championships and winning one of two trips the National Title Game was such an honor that’s created memories I will never forget.” What people need to understand is what goes into building that success. Boyd says “it is the guy who cuts the grass all the way up to the guy who cuts the cheques”. Put that together with a strong coaching staff, and good recruiting players will come.

The first priorities for Boyd will be beginning the recruiting process as well as the hunt for a new coaching staff. “There are many irons in the fire on both of these needs.” “It will be exciting to see the competition at every spot this year” “I plan to give the incoming coaching staff tough but great decisions to make. Having a strong bench of dedicated players and coaches is the first and most important piece of this puzzle.

Other parts of Boyd’s responsibilities will be running the business of the team, game day operations and community involvement. “We have a beautiful facility in a beautiful city and we plan to make coming out to Bears Games an event you will be looking for more of. Many promotions and game day events are already being prepared.

While having also spent time, playing, coaching and looking after General Manager Duties in the NFC below are the OFC highlights Boyd brings to the Bears Organization.

Ottawa Sooners –OFC (CJFL)

* 1989-93 Ottawa Sooners
* 91, 92 Ontario Champions
* 91 Eastern Canadian Champions
* 92 National Champions (Recognized in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame)
* 92-93 All Ontario Team all star
* 93 Chris Kerr Memorial Winner (most team spirit and dedication)

Brampton Football in reviewing their program determined that what was needed was a breath of fresh air who had extensive OFC (CJFL) background and had a business background to back the football experience up. President Ian Smith states “we are thrilled to be able to bring someone with Craig’s football background in the OFC but more importantly his business background to the Brampton Bears”. Craig and the Bears are looking forward to bringing a winning team to Brampton in 2012.