OPC Minor Game Preview (TEAM EAST): “The biggest battle will come from the offensive and defensive lines for both teams”

The countdown begins to CanadaFootballChat.com Ontario Prospect Challenge on the May 1st weekend.  In the days leading up to OPC, CFC will preview the teams, coaches and players participating in the big event.

On Saturday early afternoon at TD Place, Team East will square off against Team Central in the minor game, to open the Ontario Prospect Challenge’s Ottawa slate.

With kickoff set for 1:00pm EST, Head Coach Geoff Graham is making final preparations for the big game. Moreover, he is thrilled that game day is fast approaching.

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“I’m really excited to see the top minor talent from across Ontario and Quebec come together in what should prove to be a great showcase of talent of today’s youth and tomorrow’s future stars,” commented the Team East Minor Head Coach. ”The venue will be spectacular and the atmosphere exciting, we are expecting a great game and a special day for all involved.”

With such a small amount of time to prepare for the game, Graham said that the team’s game plan will be simplistic.

“Our plan is quite simple and that is coach our players to be in the correct spots on the field for any given play and let their talents do the rest,” elaborated Graham.  “With only two opportunities to practice together as a team before the big game, we have kept our systems simple but balanced in a way so we can adjust whatever we need to during any point of the game.”

However, there are two things to expect from Team East when it comes to game execution.

“We plan to showcase all of our athletes so fans can expect an air and ground attack from our offense and a very aggressive, relentless defence,” added Graham.

What may determine the outcome of the OPC Minor game is which unit will come out on top in line matchups.

,” assessed the Team East Minor Head Coach.  “Having said that, these are some of the best youth football players in the region so I expect to see some great football being played at every position from both teams.”

Prior to the big game, Team East’s coaching staff wanted to instill team cohesion while ensuring all players were on the same page.

“Leading up to the game, our goals are to simply bond as a team and understand the offensive and defensive systems that have been put in place,” said Graham.  “Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.”

Additionally, Team East has some key objectives they want to accomplish while practicing and subsequently competing in the minor OPC game. Those centre on soaking in the unique experience while learning new skills that will carry over beyond the May 2^nd game.

“Overall, our goals are to enjoy the moment and to ensure that all of our players get to showcase their talents in this elite environment,” added Graham. “This will be an opportunity of a lifetime for all of our players from across the region to make new friends and bond as teammates as well as put their individual skills up against their peers from other cities.”

“We want this to be a positive experience that every player will remember for the rest of their lives.  We have a great coaching staff in place so another goal is to teach and pass on as much about the game as we can in a very short period of time.  This will include technical positional training as well as diving into the mental side of the game and what it takes to become and remain an elite player for years to come.”

With the culmination of all the hard work coming to a head on Saturday afternoon, Graham reflects back on the entire OPC process.  While there have been some challenges, the special bonds created as well as the dedication everyone has shown has made the experience invaluable and worthwhile.

“The entire OPC experience to date has been really special for the coaching staff and hopefully the players as well,” expressed Graham.  “We have been fortunate to travel to various cities with our camps, meeting some great young athletes and their parents.”

“Choosing the final roster for this year was very tough as the competition throughout the camps was fierce, the players came to compete for a spot on the team and it showed during the tryout series. It has also been great working with a new group of coaches, each of whom bring a lot of experience and passion to the table.”

(twitter: http://twitter.com/vohra_ameeta)