Big fish in small pond (VIDEO)

London Lineman of the Year commits to AUS team’s 2014 class.

The Saint Francis Xavier X-Men has announced the signing of Sam Gan.  The 6’2, 270 pound lineman from London, Ontario will join the team for the 2014 AUS season.

“Sam is a great student; he is active with extracurricular groups and possess leadership qualities,” commented X-Men Head Coach Gary Waterman.  “He comes from a great family and a very strong high school football program.”

“Sam is a well-coached, intelligent player. He is our kinda guy.”

X-Men Offensive Coordinator Steve Snyder introduced Gan to the Antigonish, Nova Scotia campus. One he was introduced to the campus, the Ontario lineman never looked back.

“I hadn’t heard much about StFX until Coach Snyder told me of it and I began researching,” recalled Gan.  “When I first got to ‘X’, I immediately saw the beautiful campus.”

“As my trip continued, I noticed the whole school was a large community, everywhere people were friendly and open to interaction. I learned of the leadership academy and how it can expand and solidify your leadership skills. The co-op program is also a huge factor, and ‘X’ offered a flexible, top notch program. Overall I chose X because I know I will excel in smaller groups and I enjoy being involved. The coached staff is amazing, the players are hard-working, everyone bands together to create a family.”

For Snyder’s part, he enjoyed showing Gan the ‘X’ world and is thrilled to welcome the lineman to the fold.

“Recruiting Sam was a pleasure; he is a very intelligent hard working young man who really gets it,” said Snyder.  “We are so excited about landing him at X.”

“It’s a great fit for him; he connected with our business program and loved the campus experience. The academic reputation of our university and the unique qualities our experience provides continues to impress myself and top notch recruits. We didn’t have to sell our program, our product sold itself. I believe Sam realizes how special being a student athlete at St. Francis Xavier is and he is ready to embrace the great traditions of our school.”

Equally ecstatic is Recruiting Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach Gord Gallimore.

“Sam is the complete student athlete,” added Gallimore.  “He was recognized in London as the top public school lineman.”

“We are super excited about Sam wearing white and blue this fall.”

Gan capped of his high school career with the London Central Golden Ghosts of the Thames Valley Regional Athletic Association (TVRAA).  This past season, he was the recipient of the Jim Allen Award, given to the League’s Lineman of the Year.  Additionally, Gan was selected to the Tier 1 All-Star team at the defensive end position. In 2013, the London standout recorded three sacks, had three forced fumbles, and blocked a field goal and a stripped ball.

Moreover, Gan has suited up for the London Falcons of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) and the Lucas Hammers of the London Minor Football Association (LMFA).

Following his commitment, Gan issued the following statement:

“The reason I committed to St.FX is due to several factors -the first being their new Business school and coop program. Looking to the future, most employers want new employees to have some sort of work experience. Co-op is the perfect way to do this, because I’m getting applicable experience to my field. Not only am I gaining experience, I’m creating networks within the business world.”

“The next reason I chose X is because of their leadership academy. Going to summer camp, my whole childhood taught me the importance of good leadership abilities and that like any other skill, the key to mastering leadership is through practice. The Jeff Janssen Leadership academy will give me opportunities to grow as a leader, and teach me necessary skills to work productively in any environment with any group of people.”

“The third reason I chose X was because of the small school feel. As soon as I stepped onto campus, I felt the community vibe emanating from every building. Because X is in Antigonish, a small Nova Scotia town, everyone there is from somewhere else, breeding a perfect environment for making lasting relationships. Sometimes it’s also better to be a big fish in a small pond. This will give me opportunity to find my niche and grow into it, while still being involved in my school.”

“On my recruiting visit, the St.FX coaching staff showed a lot of enthusiasm for their jobs, and passion for the game of football.  Coach (Steve) Snyder and Coach (Gary) Waterman both welcomed me and I could feel the family atmosphere that the team has.”

“The players treated me like one of their own when I did a workout with them and I could see the leadership from the senior players.”

“Everyone was pushing each other to be the best player possible, and that is the kind of atmosphere I want to spend my university football career in.”

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