Six men’s teams and two women’s teams from across western Canada gathered in Kelowna this weekend for the 13th annual Australian Football League (AFL) Kelowna Cup.
You may be wondering - Australian Football, like rugby, right? Not quite.
Australian Football is a unique fast-paced, hard-hitting sport introduced to North America from Australia - but Kelowna is lucky enough to host the wildly interesting annual competition on the oval-shaped field.
Similar to rugby in gear and playing style, the sport posts 18 players on the field with the objective to kick the oval-shaped ball through a gap between a line of four poles erected on either side of the field. Players can pass the ball forward or backwards, but can only do so by punching or kicking the ball to another player.
Yes, it is as fun to watch as it sounds in writing. KelownaNow went to the Rutland Sports Field to check out the action in real-time.
For the first time in the sports’ short history in Kelowna, the Vernon and Kelowna players have joined to form the standalone Vernon Roosters.
The Kelowna Cup is not a qualifier for any subsequent tournaments, but does warm up the players for the approaching Canadian Nationals, says Dan Mcleod, President of the Calgary Kangaroos Australian Football Club.
If you’re interested in learning more about the sport, visit the Vernon AFL Facebook page or message the team at vernonroosters@gmail.com. Also, check back next year to make sure you catch the annual tournament!
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