The Bow Valley Bobcats football team have one of those good problems.

The tier IV provincial champions opened their spring camp this week with a record number of athletes preparing to gear up to play in the fall.

"We have 48 bodies out, probably the most we've ever had," says Scott Allard, who would know as the longest serving coach with the Bobcat. "It's been a little bit precarious getting equipment but, hey, that's a good problem to have."

The core of last year's team is returning, there's healthy number of incoming grade 10 students and some older players are suiting up for the first time.

"We have a lot of veterans back and a good core of grade 9s coming up, so it's exciting," said Allard. "We have a couple of grade 11s going into grade 12 playing for first time. They have the athletic ability and size and a few of them are really going to have an impact," says Allard.

Caitlyn Roode is the lone female on the team and she suited up for defence at training camp. She's an avid rugby player and also plays club football in Calgary.

"She has experience and, more importantly, she has the aggressiveness," says Allard.

In advance of spring camp, two linesmen sessions were lead by the Stampeders Brad Erdos and Dan Federkeil. Coach Cam Cote had been playing with the idea of showing the linesmen a little love and respect for their important role on the team and the seasoned professionals of the Stamps stepped forward to help.

This Saturday, the Bobcats are hosting a controlled scrimmage with the Springbank Phoenix and while it won't involve special teams there will be officials on the field. The following Saturday they are part of a four-team jamboree at Shouldice Park in Calgary that originally started as a game against Airdrie's W. H. Croxford.

If current student population projections are correct, the Bobcats will be moving up to tier 3.

"It looked at the very beginning of the year we may be staying as tier four, but everyday it's looking more and more it's going to be tier three," says Allard.

Across town, the Cochrane Cobras open their spring camp next week, opting to wait until the end of the track and field season.