Football BC awards gala in Surrey for 2nd year on April night<\/p>\n
Published 3:00 pm Tuesday, March 24, 2026<\/p>\n
Members of B.C.\u2019s football community will gather in North Surrey for the second annual Football BC Awards Gala on Saturday, April 11.<\/p>\n
The 2026 event is again held at Aria Banquet & Convention Centre, near the new stal\u0315\u0259w\u0313as\u0259m Bridge, following a sold-out inaugural gala there last year.<\/p>\n
The adults-only gathering honours standout athletes, coaches, volunteers and leaders who elevated the 2025 season of football and cheer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s gala promises an even more memorable evening as football supporters come together under one roof,\u201d says the website where tickets are sold<\/a> for $60, or $400 for a table of eight, for dinner, awards and dancing.<\/p>\n Kat Houseman, a longtime parent and volunteer with North Surrey Minor Football, is vice-president of Football BC.<\/p>\n Rebranded, the organization\u2019s gala was previously known as Orange Helmet Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cLast year we worked with BC Lions alumni and they\u2019re handing it off to us, the PSO for football (provincial sports organization),\u201d Houseman explained.<\/p>\n The Lions are still involved, she added. \u201cWe have a couch and chair on the stage and we have a chat, we get some speakers up from usually BC Lions. Everybody loves hearing from the professional football players.\u201d<\/p>\n Photos of last year\u2019s gala are posted on facebook.com\/BCPFA<\/a>.<\/p>\n Football British Columbia (Football BC) is responsible for the governance, promotion and development of the sport of football in the province. Listed on footballbc.com<\/a> are all minor\/junior clubs and leagues across the province, and BC Adult Flag Football League.<\/p>\n Flag teams play in spring, tackle in fall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe promote both,\u201d noted Houseman, mother of Langley Rams running back Jake Houseman. \u201cFlag has grown in popularity and will be at the Olympics (in Los Angeles in 2028), and we have seen some numbers drop in tackle because some parents don\u2019t like it. Tackle is still going and still alive and running\u2026. We just want to get kids and adults out there being active and playing football.\u201d<\/p>\n Flag football registration opened in February for most clubs, leading to championships in June at fields in Kamloops.<\/p>\n A Team Canada Flag Football Identification Camp was held March 15 in Langley at McLeod Athletic Park, with Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke<\/a> among those in attendance. Video of Rourke is posted on Football BC\u2019s Facebook page, along with 2026 Team BC male tackle rosters in U16, U17 and U18 divisions for July tournaments ahead.<\/p>\n