A letter to our community

Over the past few days, many of you have reached out with questions about recent announcements and rumours regarding flag football programming in Sarnia. We appreciate your concern and your care for this community. While this message is longer than usual, we believe it is important to share the story behind this program and the work that has gone into building it for the Sarnia-Lambton region.

Bluewater Flag Football began with a simple but powerful vision: to create a safe, inclusive space where athletes of all abilities could come together and play the game of flag football.

When Kate started this program, she was just 23 years old. At that time, flag football was not widely believed to be a viable sport in Sarnia. When she first approached other football organizations about the potential of the game, she was told that flag football would harm the existing football structure in the community. Some even laughed at the idea.

But she believed in something bigger.

She believed that this sport could grow here, and that athletes in the Sarnia-Lambton region deserved the opportunity to play.

Over the past four years and ten seasons, that belief has grown into something truly remarkable. More than 1,000 athletes from across our community have participated in Bluewater programming. What began as a small idea has expanded into opportunities for athletes from the age of three all the way to adult leagues, with our oldest participant proudly being 62 years old.

Behind that growth has been an extraordinary amount of work. From organizing leagues and practices to scheduling fields, ordering jerseys, communicating with families, taking photos, cheering from the sidelines, and supporting athletes week after week, Kate has been involved in every part of building this program.

But beyond the logistics, her goal has always been to build a true community.

She has worked intentionally to create an environment where every athlete feels welcomed, valued, and supported regardless of their skill level or experience. Many of you know this firsthand. Kate knows your children’s names. She celebrates their successes, encourages them through challenges, and has built meaningful connections with so many of the athletes who come through this program.

Her vision has always been that Bluewater would feel like a community, not a system—a place where families feel connected and where athletes are more than just names on a roster or numbers on a spreadsheet.

Bluewater has grown because of that commitment to the kids and families of this community.

But this message is not about one person. It is about what has been built together, what this program has created for our community, and the opportunities that now exist for local athletes because of it.

It is also important for our families to know that Bluewater Flag Football has never operated for profit. Every dollar that has come into this program has been reinvested directly back into the athletes and the experience we provide—from equipment and field rentals to jerseys, league development, and creating better opportunities for players.

At the same time, this program has helped put athletes from our region on the national stage. As Head Coach of Team Ontario, Kate helped lead the program to a National Bronze Medal and then a National Gold Championship last year. Athletes from the Sarnia-Lambton community proudly represented our region on that stage—opportunities that would not exist today without the pathway that began here at home.

The journey has not always been easy. Building a youth sports organization comes with challenges, especially when access to safe and consistent playing spaces can be limited. Were things perfect? No. Were there challenges along the way? Absolutely.

But feedback was listened to, improvements were made, and the program continued to grow stronger each season.

We also want to recognize the many people who have helped shape the Bluewater community over the years. Coaches, referees, volunteers, parents, and supporters have all played a role in building something special. Your time, energy, and belief in this vision are the reason this program exists today.

Recently, there has been news of another organization entering the flag football space locally. While we respect anyone who wants to grow sport in our community, it is important to clarify that Bluewater Flag Football is not affiliated with any other flag football organization in the Sarnia-Lambton area.

Bluewater is proud to be part of the NFL Flag network, and we hold the official NFL Flag licensing rights within our community.

At a time when flag football was not widely supported locally, it was this community that believed in the vision and helped it grow into what it is today.

Kate has always believed that there is no place for politics in youth sports. The focus should always remain on the athletes, the families, and the positive opportunities we create for kids.

Because of that belief, this will be the only communication made regarding this situation. Our focus moving forward will remain on what we have built together—not on what others may attempt to dismantle.

Our priority remains exactly what it has always been: the kids, the families, and the Sarnia-Lambton community that has supported this program from the very beginning.

We are excited to share that Spring Season registration will open next week, including a March Break registration special. We look forward to continuing to grow this game together.

Thank you for being part of the Bluewater family and for supporting the athletes who make this program so special.

We are not just another flag football organization.

We are NFL Flag.We are Bluewater.And we proudly stand behind the Sarnia-Lambton community that built this program.

With gratitude,

Dean and the Bluewater Flag Football Leadership Team