How a 1–7 team rebuilt belief, rewrote expectations, and reminded Bonnyville what Voyageurs football feels like

If you ever needed proof that Bonnyville football still has a pulse strong enough to shake the bleachers, look no further than the 2024–25 Voyageurs. A team that started the year with question marks, doubts, and more than a few raised eyebrows ended it with something far more powerful: belief.

And even though the final scoreboard read Commandos 28 – Voyageurs 24, what happened this season can’t be measured in touchdowns alone.

It started long before they ever stepped onto that provincial field.

A Program That Had Every Reason to Fold — and Didn’t

Coach Larry Godziuk doesn’t sugar-coat the past few years. He lays it out the way only a longtime coach can — blunt but hopeful, honest but not defeated.

“Prior to COVID, we were a 20–32 program. Post-COVID? We dropped to 4–28. Some games we dressed only 19 or 20 players while Wheatland teams had 35, 40, even 50 athletes.”

Those seasons weren’t just tough. They were in survival mode — a roster held together by duct tape, determination, and the occasional teenage growth spurt.

So after finishing 1–7 last year, the staff made the call that stirred up enough small-town controversy to heat every Tim Hortons lineup from here to Ardmore:

Move to 9-a-side.

“People were upset. They asked why we didn’t consult them. They worried about travel, cost — everything. But the move was made for the players, the program, and the future of football in Bonnyville.”

And then the part that now feels like the mic drop:

“Finishing 6–1 with a provincial silver medal should speak for itself.”

The Kids Who Became a Team

Coach Larry has been at this for 31 seasons — plus two more as a player — and trust me, he’s seen everything. But this group? They stuck with him.

“These were good kids. Great kids, really. Not perfect — I absolutely wished some had better attendance and marks — but from spring camp on, it was clear this group was different.”

They didn’t just show up to practice.
They showed up for one another.

They pushed each other, supported fundraisers, and kept each other on track — on and off the field. If you watched them warm up, travel, or even sit through a team meal, you could see it: the unspoken glue that only real teams have.

The Final: Four Points and a Lifetime of Heart

The championship game was a fistfight from whistle to whistle.

Both teams threw punches.
Both teams landed them.
Both teams refused to back off.

And yes — Bonnyville came up four points short.

But as the boys left that field — jerseys muddy, eyes glassy, voices shaky — Coach Larry made sure the message was clear:

“Winning is easy. Losing with class takes character and grace.”

The Grade 12s felt it the hardest.
Their tears weren’t from failure — they were from caring. From leaving everything they had in a place they didn’t want to leave yet.

Coach Larry hopes the town sees the bigger picture:

“I hope everyone can look past one or two plays and appreciate how successful this season truly was. This team has nothing to be embarrassed about — and a whole lot to be proud of.”

A Town That Showed Up

This season didn’t happen in a bubble. It happened because Bonnyville wrapped itself around these boys.

Parents.
Schools.
Businesses.
Bus companies.
Announcers.
Officials.
Alumni.
Volunteers.
Administrators.
And a first-year team manager who kept the whole operation stitched together.

“We rely heavily on support from NDHS, BCHS, EDBL, and BOC. And Andrea Woods — our first team manager in years — made this season so much easier.”

He thanked everyone: Byron Johnson in the booth, KB Bussing and Krues Transportation, local restaurants, game-day helpers, officials, the Town, the MD, alumni — nobody got missed.

And he meant it.

The Legacy & the Next Chapter

At the end of every season, Coach Larry hears one of two questions:

“Are you coaching next year?”
or
“Isn’t it time for someone else to take over?”

His answer?

“I’ll be back for my final season next year.”

But that’s not the whole story.

“For the last two seasons I’ve only coached special teams. With 8–10 coaches on staff, I’ve spent four years handing off responsibilities to the next generation.”

In other words — the future is already forming.
The foundation is set.
The torch is mid-air.

And the kids coming up?
They won’t be starting from scratch.
They’ll be building on a season that reminded everyone what Bonnyville football is supposed to look like.

The Final Word

Four points short.
But miles ahead of where they started.

The community showed up.
The players bought in.
The coaches bet on the right call.
And the Voyageurs brought pride back to a proud program.

No shame.
No regret.
Just heart.

Proud of this team.
Proud of this season.
Proud to be Voyageurs.

Voyageurs on 3…
You know the rest.