All new information relating to the Tournament of champions will be posted to this homepage, however, you can follow the above links to find specific content. For any issues with the site, or suggestions, please email Gordie Laverty by clicking here.
TOC Video & Pictures
Here are the links to the TOC videos. I'm having trouble converting a small chunk, damn new camera woes, but we still have quite a bit of high definition footage for you all, including near full elite championship contests. We also have a brief write up and a number of high resolution pictures for you to freely download, which will be uploaded over the next couple of days.
We here at Touch Football Canada and Touch Football Ontario want to wish you all a very happy new year, and all the best in 2012!
The 2011 Tournament of Champions (TOC) was plagued with one obstacle after another in the weeks/days leading up to the event. With errors on our permits (hence the evening games), limited Western referee support, and an organizing committee in limbo, there were many stress induced sleepeless nights.
Thankfully the officials and staff on hand were as extraordinary as the field conditions once things got started, all combining to make this year’s TOC an event to remember. I really can’t say enough about the referees (Ontario/Western alike) and staff who toughed out a full day of play-off contests (Sunday) in two man systems. There were only so many referees we could help fly out, however, with our volunteer and camera crew doubling as officials, we were able to get the job done. Did I mention how stellar the referee crews were?
Teams understood the dilemma, and we appreciated the apologies from the Western squads, so I’m sure the next time we head out West, we’ll never have to face these official-related issues again. Giant Kudos to the Western few who joined our crews, we couldn't have done it without you!
Teams were very helpful moving bean bags and offering various levels of support, though three gentlemen from the Ottawa Gamblers, John Wong, Bryan Valin and Vince Adams went above and beyond the call of help. While they volunteered to referee well in advance, they certainly got far more than they could have bargained for. On Saturday alone, on top of playing 2 games (an evening contest to boot), these three life savers refereed 6 straight games. You three made Referee In Chief Dave Ash’s (his first, and an amazing first at that) job a little easier.
We’re well aware of how unpopular this TOC was with our Ontario base, however, when we took over the Touch Bowl from Football Canada, it was never meant to stay in Ontario and Quebec. It can never be a true national championship that way. The only way to unite the nation is to travel the nation, and if the number of excited Western teams on the field and at the Sunday evening party is any indication, the future for Touch Football Canada is bright.
There was plenty of discussion from Western cities/leagues adopting our Tour style. Touch Football Ontario and Quebec have been national leaders because of their joint leagues and passionate players/volunteers. It’s no coincidence that we’ve owned the TOC for well over a decade, and will continue to be favourites in the future. With an entire nation adopting our winning formula, while adding their own ingredients, there’s no stopping the growth of our sport.
I hope teams can look just a little beyond their own wishes and see the bigger picture flashing before their eyes. Only together can we unite, and only together can we grow the sport. A lot will be riding on whether enough of the West will travel East next year, though I can think of at least two happy squads that will make the trek to where ever the TOC arrives (here's hoping for Toronto's uber Bramptonplex & Quebec is long overdue as well).
In closing, I just want to thank all of the teams that made the journey, and who gave everything they had on the field, making this year’s TOC such a great event to cover. Our more than two hours of raw HD footage, along with hundreds of photos, will be available in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to this site. For any comments or issues, you can always email me (Gordie) by clicking here.
TOC Results
Our results board is with the rest of our equipment being shipped. We were too swamped to have someone update on the fly, and I was going to take a picture before leaving, but both my camera and phone had died. As soon as they arrive, I'll post the final scores. Surely some are missing so please email me (here) if you can help. For now I'll post the champions, however, I will need some help until I can verify finals, so champions and finalists, please email your scores/opponents/corrections.
Men's AA
Winnipeg Avengers defeat Regina Megalomania
Women’s AA
Montreal Fleur De Lys defeat Ottawa Devils
Men’s A
Ottawa Capitals defeat Edmonton Frost
Women’s A
Toronto Rockets defeat Vancouver Titans
Men’s BB
Winnipeg Assassins
Women’s BB
Montreal Geants defeat Montreal Coyotes
Men’s B
Moose Jaw Rebels 40 vs Calgary Los Hombres 40-13
Men’s CC
Montreal Renegades 35 vs Edmonton Hummers 21
2011 Nationals Championship Draw
Please Note that as of Oct 7th the Men's and Women's Draws have been released along with an updated grid. Please ensure your copies have the Revision dates listed below
Touch Football Canads has submitted new roster rule changes for the 2011 National Championships. Each team is eligible to add up to 4 addional players subject to conditions. Please choose this link for full details
2011 Nationals Team List
We have compiled a list of all Men and Women's teams entered and paid for the upcoming championships. To review, click this link for the list
2011 Nationals Roster Update - 19 Aug 2011
Touch Football Canads has submitted new roster rule changes for the 2011 National Championships. Each team is eligible to add up to 4 addional players subject to conditions. Please choose this link for full details
2011 Nationals Hotel Update
The Westin Calgary Hotel (TFC Host Hotel) has now setup a personalized web-site for TFC hotel registrations. The Delta Bow Valley Hotel has also been setup as an alternate/overflow hotel choice.
Please choose the TOC Registration Link for details
2011 Nationals Bid Announcement & TFC
After a two year selection process, we are happy to report that the 2011 Canadian championships, also known as the Tournament of Champions (TOC), will be held in Calgary, Alberta.
Over this period Touch Football Ontario (TFO) President Ed Laverty, thanks to nation-wide tourism bodies, was flown to hosting presentations in Saskatoon, Burnaby, Kelowna, Edmonton and Calgary. We would like to thank all of the provinces for their wonderful and thoughtful considerations. Clearly your governing bodies, city councilors, tourist boards and leagues worked very hard to provide such polished and professional bids.
Calgary, however, with two seven field complexes at no charge to our organizing body, was an offer we couldn’t refuse. There’s an opportunity for government funding as well, but it was the beautiful facilities at no cost to us that pushed their bid over the top. Taking the TOC thousands of kilometres away is a massive undertaking; the deal had to be right.
The touch football community is thankful for your efforts and encourages your teams to attend the 2011 TOC. If your attendance at the 2011 national event is plentiful, it may be in your province sooner than you think. Our formation of Touch Football Canada should make hosting future TOC’s outside of Ontario and Quebec more locally focused to leagues nationwide as well, however, with TFO running the show at present, we had to pick a destination that best suits our needs. The goal is to change this as we look to share TOC responsibilities in the future.
Tourism Calgary
“We are thrilled to be selected as the host city for the National Touch Football Championship in 2011,” said Marco De Iaco, Vice-President, Sales, Sport & Major Events of Tourism Calgary. “We look forward to working with Touch Football Canada, The City of Calgary, and the local community in the planning and delivery of an exceptional event.”
Touch Football Canada Is Born
The executive of TFO, in an effort to maintain and improve the national participation of the TOC, have made a commitment to reach out to its peers across the nation by forming Touch Football Canada.
Touch Football Ontario, along with its partners at Touch Football Quebec (TFQ), became the caretakers of the Canadian championships after Football Canada’s annual Touch Bowl dissolved as a national platform following the 1994 event in Kelowna BC.
For the better part of two decades, Football Canada governed touch football, providing the base infrastructure of rules and regulations that are in practice today. Thanks to their efforts, there are currently a number of independently run leagues across the nation playing by near-identical rules.
