By Jacqueline Hoyhtya

The Otter Tail Central Bulldog third and fourth grade tackle football teams recently wrapped up their fall season, bringing together student-athletes from Battle Lake and Henning for a season of football, teamwork and fun. These young athletes focused an opportunity to learn, compete and grow through Bulldog football.

Throughout the season, players practiced together on Tuesday and Thursday evenings before splitting into two teams for Saturday morning games. OTC faced teams from Underwood, Border West, and Pelican Rapids during league play.

A highlight of the season came before the regular schedule began, when the players had the opportunity to take the field at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 27 to compete against Border West. Playing in the home of the Minnesota Vikings was a memorable experience for the young athletes.

New this season was the addition of Guardian Caps, soft-shell padded covers worn over football helmets. Designed to help absorb and reduce impact forces, the caps were made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor. The donation provided an added resource to support player safety.

The OTC Red team was coached by Tony Bussa and Andy Anderson, while the OTC Black team was coached by Lee Hoyhtya and Casey Johnson.