Fox 40 Prospect Challenge (Central): Challenge veteran ready for another run

Joel Heyman has been playing football for three years and got his start in Grade 8 when he played for the Madoc Centurions at the Belleville Minor Football League.

That year, Joel played as a defensive tackle for the first time and really enjoyed it. The team ended up finishing the season 6-1 and came in second overall.

In Grade 9, he joined his high school team, the Centre Hastings Centurions, and played both offensive guard and defensive tackle.

He also tried out for the Ontario Prospect Challenge that year and made the East team as a defensive end, and they ended up winning the game.

That spring, Joel volunteered as a junior coach to help out the Madoc Centurion Minor Football team.

Grade 10 brought the defensive end back to the Centurions as a captain, which is something he really enjoyed.

Again, he tried out for the Ontario Prospect Challenge and made the team, where the also won their game.

This passed fall, Centre Hastings did not have a varsity team, so Joel helped out with the junior high team instead.

“I helped out with the defensive line and also the play calling for the defence during games,” explained Joel.

After the high school season finished, he was invited to participate at the Canadian Football Institute to improve his abilities as a defensive lineman.

This year, Joel is participating in the Fox 40 Prospect Challenge and his main goal is to make the team again, but he also hopes to learn as much as possible from his coaches.

During the offseason, he is always involved with another sport, in the winter it is basketball and in the spring it is rugby.

“This helps to keep me in shape for when football comes around,” said Joel.

Moreover, on the field his football idol would be JJ Watt because he is the best defensive lineman in the NFL, and Joel always watches how he plays and how he beats an offensive lineman when he watches Watt’s games.

“I love to play football because of the contact and the strategy of the game,” commented the Centurion.

Joel Heyman
Positions: Defensive end and defensive tackle
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 225lbs
Team: Centre Hastings Centurions and Canadian Football Institute
Class: 2018

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

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