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Home / Around the League / Monarchs tackle homeopener

Monarchs tackle homeopener

Charles Drinkard

Charles Drinkard of the Fort McMurray Monarchs throws a practice toss during Monarchs practice in Edmonton Alta. on Wednesday May 25, 2016. Robert Murray/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network

Robert Murray – Fort McMurray Today – Friday, May 27, 2016

Skylor Letcher picked the right time to move to Edmonton.

A defensive component of the Fort McMurray Monarchs, Letcher packed up his bags in early May, bound for an eight-week cycle as part of his welding course at NAIT’s South Campus days before fires ravaged his home town.

With the Monarchs displaced, but not deterred, the team will open their season in Spruce Grove this weekend against the Calgary Wolfpack.

With players like Letcher and the Monarchs receiving a new lease on life for their season, the team is ready to take advantage of their opportunity.

“I thought I was done (for the season) for sure,” said Letcher. “It’s a surreal feeling.”

Letcher and the Monarchs may themselves look like a patchwork team just based what they’re wearing: helmets from the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders and jerseys from the CJFL’s Edmonton Huskies.

But even on a rainy Wednesday evening behind Malcolm Tweedle School, the Monarchs are united as one in the pursuit of winning the 2016 Alberta Football League Championship.

“Our main goal is to go out there and win the championship, win the AFL and play a playoff game at home,” said head coach Dave Spence. “We’re going to try to go out there, have fun and make the best of the situation.”

Despite all the gratitude and support received, the Monarchs will be in a better place on June 18. That date will serve as their first game under a new tenancy agreement to play in Shell Place when the Monarchs host the Grande Prairie Drillers.

“We’re actually planning to be practicing that week leading up to that at home,” said team president Jesse Maddox. “That’s been the anticipation all year after signing that contract, so we’re looking forward to get home, play in front of our fans and I think it’d be good for the community to do something big like this.”

Meanwhile, the club will play out of Fuhr Field in Spruce Grove. That will include a second home game in week two of the season against the Central Alberta Buccaneers and one road game against the Airdrie Irish.

Those three games are not must-wins for the club by any mean, but will help the set the tone for the remainder of the season. Spence understands his players may not be with him fully at practice, but wants them physically and mentally present on game day.

“A lot of the guys minds are elsewhere,” said Spence. “Hopefully on game day, by then, get it all focused in.”

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