The Alberta Football League (AFL) is an amateur Canadian football league. The league's schedule runs from the start of June through to the end of September.
 | |
| Sport | Canadian football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| President | Vincent Roth |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | Cold Lake Fighter Jets |
| Most titles | Calgary Wolfpack (16) |
| Official website | www |
For the 2023 season the league had six teams. They are: Airdrie Irish, Calgary Wolfpack, Central Alberta Buccaneers, Cold Lake Fighter Jets, Edmonton Elite and Peace Country Cowboys.
History
editThe Alberta Football League was established in 1984 so that men over the age of 21 could continue to play organized competitive football within the province of Alberta. Before the creation of the league, the only way to play competitive football after university or junior was the Canadian Football League. In 1984–85 the league consisted of seven teams. They were: the Calgary Raiders, the Calgary Cowboys, the Calgary Crude, the Red Deer Redskins, the Rocky Warriors, the Hinton Grizzlies, and the Brownfield Bruisers.
In 1999, the AFL became a founding member of the Canadian Senior Football League, which is now known as the Canadian Major Football League. The CMFL is the national governing body for semi-pro Canadian football, that arrange the National Championship game (the Forster Memorial Trophy game). At first, AFL champs played against the winner of the Eastern Conference (the Manitoba Football League), but since 2002 that game has been played against the Northern Football Conference winners (teams from Ontario and Quebec).[1]
League champions and finalists
edit- 2023: Airdrie Irish: 18 – Cold Lake Fighter Jets: 39[2]
- 2022: Airdrie Irish: 0 – Cold Lake Fighter Jets: 55
- 2021: Central Alberta Buccaneers: 47 – Edmonton Elite: 17
- 2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta
- 2019: Central Alberta Buccaneers: 26 – Calgary Wolfpack: 30[3]
- 2018: Central Alberta Buccaneers: 7 – Fort McMurray Monarchs: 65
- 2017: Calgary Gators: 32 – Fort McMurray Monarchs: 21
- 2016: Fort McMurray Monarchs: 32 – Central Alberta Buccaneers: 23
- 2015: Fort McMurray Monarchs: 24 – Calgary Gators: 37
- 2014: Calgary Wolfpack: 25 – Calgary Gators: 15
- 2013: St. Albert Stars: 16 – Calgary Gators: 41[4][5]
- 2012: Lloydminster Vandals: 62 – Calgary Wolfpack: 26
- 2011: Calgary Wolfpack: 38 – Grande Prairie Drillers: 14
- 2010: Lloydminster Vandals: 52 – Calgary Gators: 26
- 2009: Edmonton Stallions: 39 – Calgary Wolfpack: 32
- 2008: Calgary Wolfpack: 43 – Lloydminster Vandals: 21[6]
- 2007: Edmonton Stallions: 21 – Calgary Gators: 16
- 2006: Calgary Wolfpack: 31 – Calgary Gators: 7
- 2005: Calgary Wolfpack: 42 – Edmonton Stallions: 28
- 2004: Calgary Wolfpack: 51 – Edmonton Stallions: 46
- 2003: Calgary Wolfpack: 56 – Calgary Thunder: 35
- 2002: Calgary Wolfpack: 49 – Calgary Gators: 15
- 2001: Calgary Thunder: 16 – Calgary Gators: 14
- 2000: Calgary Wolfpack: 30 – Calgary Thunder: 14
- 1999: Calgary Wolfpack: 17 – Calgary Gators: 2
- 1998: Calgary Gators: – Calgary Wolfpack:
- 1997: Red Deer Sooners: 7 – Edmonton Icemen: 3
- 1996: Calgary Wolfpack: – Red Deer Sooners:
- 1995: Calgary Wolfpack: – Red Deer Sooners:
- 1994: Red Deer Sooners: – Edmonton Seminoles:
- 1993: Red Deer Sooners: – Calgary Wolfpack:
- 1992: Calgary Wolfpack: – Red Deer Sooners:
- 1991: Red Deer Sooners: – Calgary Crude:
- 1990: Calgary Wolfpack: – Calgary Crude:
- 1989: Calgary Wolfpack: – Red Deer Sooners:
- 1988: Calgary Raiders: – Calgary Crude:
- 1987: Calgary Raiders: – Red Deer Redskins:
- 1986: Calgary Raiders: – Calgary Crude:
- 1985: Calgary Raiders: – Calgary Thunder:
AFL championships by franchise
edit| Franchise | Championships | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Calgary Wolfpack[a] | 16 | 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2019 |
| Calgary Raiders | 4 | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 |
| Red Deer Sooners | 4 | 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997 |
| Calgary Gators | 4 | 1998, 2013, 2015, 2017 |
| Edmonton Stallions | 2 | 2007, 2009 |
| Lloydminster Vandals[a] | 2 | 2010, 2012 |
| Fort McMurray Monarchs[a] | 2 | 2016, 2018 |
| Calgary Cowboys | 1 | 1984 |
| Calgary Thunder | 1 | 2001 |
| Cold Lake Fighter Jets[a] | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| Central Alberta Buccaneers[a] | 1 | 2021 |
Current AFL teams
edit| Team | City | Established | Forster Memorial Trophies (CMFL championships) | League championships | Last AFL championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airdrie Irish | Airdrie | 2015 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Calgary Wolfpack | Calgary | 1989 | 4 | 16 | 2019 |
| Central Alberta Buccaneers[b] | Lacombe | 2002 | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cold Lake Fighter Jets[c][7] | Cold Lake | 2019 | 1 | 2 | 2023 |
| Edmonton Elite | Edmonton | 2020 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Fort McMurray Monarchs | Fort McMurray | 2014 | 2 | 2 | 2018 |
| Peace Country Cowboys | Peace River Country | 2019 | 0 | 0 | - |
Defunct AFL teams
edit- Brownfield Bruisers – (1984–1985)
- Calgary Cowboys – (1984–1988, 1991–1996)
- Calgary Crude – (1984–1992)
- Calgary Gators – (1998–2017)
- Calgary Raiders – (1985–1988)
- Calgary Coyotes – (2001–2003)
- Calgary Razorbacks – (2004–2005)
- Calgary Thunder – (2000–2007)
- Edmonton Seminoles – (1993–1994)
- Edmonton Garrison Army (2010–2012)
- Edmonton Seahawks – (?–2009)
- Edmonton Icemen – (1995–2004)
- Edmonton Stallions (2002–2015)
- Hanna Rams – (1976–1984)
- Hinton Grizzlies – (1984–?)
- Lloydminster Vandals – (2004–2018)
- Medicine Hat Marauders – (2005–2006)
- Okotoks Bearcats – (1995–1997)
- Red Deer Redskins – (1985–1987)
- Red Deer Sooners – (1988–1999)
- Rocky Warriors – (1984–?)
- Rocky Raiders – (1983–1984)
- Wainwright Longhorns – (2005–2007)
- Edmonton Renegades – (2009–2011)
- Edmonton Raiders – (2016–2016)
- Parkland Predators – (2017–2017)
- St. Albert Stars – (?–2019)
References
edit- ^ "Canadian Men's Senior Football Championship; Sid Forster Memorial Trophy".
- ^ "AFL 2023 Finals Championship Cold Lake Jets vs Airdrie Irish Highlights". YouTube.
- ^ "Calgary Wolfpack vs Central Alberta Buccaneers 2019 AFL Championship". YouTube.
- ^ "Calgary Gators vs Stars 2013 08 17". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
- ^ "Gators Stars Finals Highlights". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
- ^ "September 13, 2008 - AFL Championship Game - Lloydminster Vandals @ Calgary Wolfpack". YouTube.
- ^ "Lloydminster Vandals re-brand, move to Cold Lake".