P.E.I. senior football team returns with new name, younger players and ambitious plans

A few months ago the future of senior football on P.E.I. was third and long. Now, with a fresh coaching staff, new players and a new name the team isready to tackle a new season in the Maritime Football League.

It was the general consensus we're going to rebrand, we're going to move forward with a new direction to the football team.- Richard Lush

"This is P.E.I.'s provincial team," said quarterback Dave Clark. "A lot of people don't evenknow about football, and for the people that are passionate about it that sucks."

This past February the PEI Privateers were on the verge of disappearing, many of the core groupof 12 players announced they were moving on to spend more timeon careers or with family, and the player/manager took a job up North.

'It really put the whole program in turmoil'

Tosurvive, the program needed to get younger, find coaches and get some money in the bank.

"It really put the whole program in turmoil," said Richard Lush who will play for andmanagethe team.

"It was the general consensus we're going to rebrand, we're going to move forward with a new direction to the football team and try to resurrect the seniorsummer football program."

The Island Mariners are born

The Island Mariners were born to replace the PEI Privateers. Lush hopes taking a new name will appeal to players from across the province looking to play summer football.

So far it's working close to 40 players have signed up for the over 18 program, there are four coaches and some new sponsors.

Clark also joked it dropped the medianage on the team by at least a decade. Some players that werepushing 50 in recent seasons have been replaced by kids barely in theirtwenties.

"We've learned from our mistakes," said Lush. "Really experienced the worst and now we're hoping for the best."

"We're trying to become more involved in the community, we're doing more community events," added Clark.

Honouring Terry Allen

The team will also remember a significant part of its past on June 24. A game to honour Terry Allen.

Allen was a former manager of the Privateers, and passed away at the end of April after fightingcancer for four years.

"Every year we're going to host a pink game, a cancer awareness game" said Lush. "Without Terry Allen the PEI Privateers or summer football altogether would have been gone a long time ago."

The Island Mariners open a new season this Saturday at 4 p.m. in Cornwall, P.E.I., against Halifax.

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