MIFA takes two of three games against U.S. and Mexico
Sep 27, 2017 by Iain Colpitts Mississauga News
The Mississauga Indoor Football Association (MIFA) won two out of three games during its International Bowl festival against teams from the United States and Mexico on Sept. 2. – Flavio Coletti Espindola photo
Liston Bates believes there’s still room to make the Mississauga Indoor Football Association’s (MIFA’s) International Bowl a more grand-scale event.
The second annual International Bowl was held at Bronte Athletic Field in Oakville on Sept. 2. Bates, MIFA’s program co-ordinator, was thrilled to see MIFA win two out of three matches against teams from the United States and Mexico.
More importantly, he said the initiative is starting to grow from a funding perspective, which will be crucial in order to attract the most talented players in Canada.
“SportChek stepped up and gave us a few hundred bucks for knee padding for the women,” said Bates, adding that the Toronto Argonauts offered more support this year as well.
“Now, we’re opening the door to potential corporate sponsors and we can’t wait to touch base with everybody to make this team an international travel team.”
MIFA’s men’s all-star team won 16-2 against a travel team from the United States. As well, there were two women’s games between MIFA and a similar organization from Mexico called LEXFA.
MIFA’s Xtreme League women’s team won 24-12, while MIFA’s women’s international bowl team fell 24-14.
The women’s teams are still relatively new around these parts, and the international bowl team didn’t have nearly as many players as its Mexican counterpart, so Bates was proud of the game despite the score.
“Every coach wants to win, but pre-game … the reality of it was slim,” said Bates. “When we got onto the field, they bought into every ounce of knowledge I gave them over the past couple of months and they played their hearts out.”
Over the Labour Day weekend, Bates said the visitors were treated to great hospitality at Novotel Mississauga and enjoyed an after-party at & Company Resto Bar, followed by a send-off barbecue at Erindale Park.
MIFA is planning its third annual trip to Mexico for more international bowl series games in May, before hosting the Canadian loop again in the summer.
Bates hopes to add a junior varsity international game to next year’s event while he continues working to secure sponsorships and fundraising to help offset the costs of travel.