IFAF Under-19: Team Canada reflects back on once in a lifetime experience capped off by historical gold medal championship win

Defensive backs coach Devin Murphy says that he’s was fortunate to be involved in this experience.

“The experience was amazing,” comments Murphy, who is also the defensive backs coach of the Saint Mary’s Huskies.  “Noel Thorpe is a tremendous leader.”

“He did a great job with the team and I am very grateful to have been a part of it.”

While many individuals did not pick Team Canada to be the odds on end favourites to win the gold medal, the squad truly believed in their abilities.  The success Team Canada encountered during the tournament was due to all the hard work each coach and player put invested in achieving their goal.

“Winning the gold was great, but it wasn’t a fluke,” explains Murphy.  “The players worked extremely hard, starting with a five day training camp, waking up at 5:30, practicing for four hours in 40 degree heat, finishing with 3 hours of film and meetings before and after dinner.”

“The championship game was a culmination of three long weeks of work that we are all very proud to have been a part of.”

One highlight for the Team Canada defensive backs coach was having the opportunity to watch receivers coach Kamau Peterson instruct players on the field.  Murphy was in complete awe of Peterson’s knowledge and abilities.

“As a defensive backs coach, a highlight for me was discussing receiver and defensive back techniques with Kamau Peterson,” says Murphy.  “He is a great teacher and an absolute technician.”

“I saw his guys get better every day.”

All in all, the players were united and committed in their quest to achieve the ultimate goal. A huge reason the team was successful was that the players bought into the system which coaching staff presented to them.

“Coach Thorpe set the tone every day and every player, every coach strove to meet his expectations every day,” reflects Murphy.  “We believed in him and we believed in each other.”

“When it was all over, we were champions.”

Team quarterback Will Finch had an exceptional tournament as evidenced by his statistics.  The pivot had 19 completions for 29 attempts for 380 passing yards and three touchdowns.  Along with wide receiver Doug Corby, Finch equalled the record for longest pass and touchdown pass record of 77 yards in Canada’s first game against Sweden.  Furthermore, he set new best yards per pass completion record with 25.1 yards.  For his efforts on the field, he was selected to the IFAF under-19 Championship All-Tournament Team. Without a doubt, Finch says there is one highlight that stands above the rest.

“The highlight was the final game versus the United States for sure,” comments Finch. “We all worked so hard and put forth so much effort, and focus into the game.”

“The coaches did a great job of preparing us, and we had the mindset that nothing was standing in the way from us and the gold medal.”

As for the entire experience, Finch says that it was worthwhile.  In particular, the bonds made within the team will be lasting, beyond the tournament.

“The overall experience was great; meetings guys from all around Canada is one of the coolest things you can do,” says the Burlington, Ontario pivot.  “You can develop friends and teammates in which you will have for the rest of your life.”

“It’s a great experience, and I am glad I was a part of it.”

Additionally, there was one objective the team was able to accomplish by virtue of playing and subsequently winning the championship game.

“It means a lot to me because we showed people that football is an international game and not just America’s game,” reflects Finch.

Port Robinson, Ontario linebacker John Rush had a stellar tournament and also selected to the All-Tournament team.  Not only was the linebacker ranked third in tackles (14.5), but Rush was also MVP of the semi-final game against Japan.

For Rush, there is an indescribable feeling about being a part of history.

“Being a part of the team that made history in this year’s under-19 World Championships is truly one of the most amazing feelings ever and knowing that this group as a whole will go down in history as the first team to beat the United States to win the gold medal is the most fulfilling feeling I have ever experienced,” expresses the Ontario linebacker.   “It’s a feeling that no one will ever be able to take away from us, a sort of eternal glory that will be with us for the rest of our lives and as a person being a part of the team that made history is truly a feeling that I cannot even begin to explain.”

“The fact that I will always be able to look back upon that day and feel that feeling again is amazing.”

What made the experience special for Rush was the how the team came together in Austin, Texas under extreme weather conditions.

“This whole experience was exciting; 18 days in Texas flew by,” adds Rush.  “The training camp in 104 degree weather was intense, but it was really where our team came together.”

“This was extremely exciting to see when we realized our potential and that we could do this.”

The point at which the team realized their talent was the very first game they played of the tournament.

“Our first game against Sweden was anxiety filled but also exciting, finally showing the world what we were made of,” assesses the Ontario linebacker.  “The game against Sweden is where our team really broke out of its shell and proved as to why we were one of the elite teams in the world.”

Moreover, the one highlight of the tournament for Rush was the championship game as it gave him a sense of patriotism in representing his homeland.

“The highlight of the tournament for me was proving to the world that Canada can compete with the United States and overcome them to win the gold,” explains Rush. “It was one of the most thrilling games I have ever played in and I am sure I will never have a feeling like that again.”

“Representing my country in the world championships was the most exciting, amazing, nerve-racking, fun, joy filled, experiences of my life, and I am truly grateful to be a part of something this great.”

Emilio Frometa was an offensive lineman for Team Canada.  The Sudbury, Ontario player says this experience will be something he will remember for a lifetime.

“Being a part of the team that brought home the gold will remain with me forever,” comments the offensive lineman who will play for the Queen’s Golden Gaels in the fall.  “The opportunity to represent CANADA with 44 other young men who love the game, and their country as much as you do, and to see all the hard work, hours, and dedication that we put in while in Texas come together is something that I will never forget.”

“Over the almost three weeks we spent together, we all bought in to what Coach Thorpe had planned for us, we played as a group, no individuals.”

One thing Frometa gives credit to is the phenomenal coaching staff that instructed, yet guided Team Canada to the gold medal. While teammates came from different regions of the country, the Sudbury, Ontario football player says the friendships they’ve forged with one another will last for years to come.

“We had an amazing coaching staff with a lot of experience who prepared us for the heat, the level of play, and for all circumstances,” says Frometa.  “The experience was probably the most memorable one of my life so far and the things we accomplished as a team go far beyond the title of World Champions.”

“We built a bond with each other, and it stretches all across our country, from Nova Scotia, to Edmonton, to Quebec, through Ontario, all the way to Saskatoon, and everywhere in between.”

Once that moment arrived when Team Canada achieved its goal by winning the gold medal, it was a special moment.  Defeating a formidable yet tough opponent was possible because of a concerted team effort.

“The game was very close, and playing against a team of all future Division 1 players, the competition was there,” adds Frometa.  “We all played a role in that win and it was amazing to get the medal, to share the win and the moment with the family that I had made over the past three weeks.”

For his part, Frometa says it was especially nice to share the championship winning experience with fellow teammate, Erick Lessard.  For the past five years, the two players suited up for St. Benedict’s C.S.S Bears and will soon play together at Queen’s University.

Ultimately, the offensive lineman does not underestimate the significance of winning the gold medal at the tournament.

“Not many get to say they were a part of a World Championship team, and to do it in Austin, Texas, by beating Team USA, with all the support from everyone at home, it’s something that will be with me my entire life,” reflects Frometa.

Nova Scotia was well represented this year on Team Canada with an unprecedented five members who made the squad.  The five players arrived back home last Sunday.  They were greeted at the Stanfield International Airport to a group of family and friends still celebrating the success these players achieved.

All five players played significant roles in the team’s success during the tournament.

In the championship game against Team United States, running back Andreas Robinson had five carries for six yards.  The offensive star from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia says that it “meant the world” to represent not only Canada, but his native province and his family during the tournament.

“I felt honored to have the opportunity to go out and compete against the top athletes from other countries and it was especially amazing to win the gold medal game,” explains Robinson.  “Looking back, I will always have these teammates and the coaches in my life because it was also an opportunity to make new connections with others who carry a similar passion about the sport I love.”

“I have made many new friends from the tournament that I look forward to growing with over time.”

One of the heavily recruited players in the nation, Kadeem Adams, was a starting offensive lineman for Team Canada.  The Haligonian was honoured to be a part of the squad and to be part of a historical championship experience.

“I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to represent my country at the international level and come out with the gold medal; something that has never been done by a Canadian team before,” reflects former star of the high school powerhouse, Citadel Phoenix of the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League, who will suit up for the Western Mustangs in the fall.  “I will take away the faces of every player and coach on that team and I will never forget the men beside me that made Canadian football history.”

“The last quarterback knee in the closing seconds was my highlight of the experience.”

Team Canada wide receiver A’dre Fraser had a 45 yard reception in the gold medal championship game. Moreover, the Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia native blocked a punt, which tournament MVP Kevin McGee scooped up for a four yard touchdown in the team’s victory over Sweden.

“The experience of playing at a national level with such great competitors was insane and I think really an eye opener for everyone around the world,” adds the former offensive dynamo of the Citadel Phoenix of the NSSAFFL, who will play for the Guelph Gryphons in the fall.   “It meant so much to me and I’m sure to every other player on our team to win the gold medal.”

“We all knew we could do it; we just had to make everyone else believe us as well.”

Consequently as a result of the tournament experience, Fraser will take with him the concept of how team cohesion wins a championship.  Moreover, there is no question as to what the highlight was of the tournament for him.

“It doesn’t matter how many talented athletes you have on your team; it matters how they all mesh together and support each other and have each other’s backs,” comments Fraser.  “The highlight for me was actually getting that gold medal around my neck and being able to call myself a world champion.”

“Being able to hold that trophy and have the medal around my neck signified that we had accomplished the goal we set out to achieve and there was no one that could take it away from us!”

Defensive lineman Jacob LeBlanc registered a pair of tackles in the gold medal match.  On a personal level for him, winning the gold medal was a culmination of all the blood, sweat and tears he put into the game over the years.

“Being able to represent my country while being able to do my part to contribute to the overall success of the team and putting us in the history books means a lot to me personally;” reflects LeBlanc, who was named the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) football Rookie of the Year.  “It really makes all the time and effort I have put into the sport; all the bumps and bruises and breaks worthwhile.”

“The highlight of the trip was the gold medal win as it was just great to be able to face and beat the odds and do something Canada has never accomplished in the past. However, the whole experience was amazing.”

Overall, the tournament was a surreal experience for LeBlanc.

“The coaching, my teammates, all the fans that made it down to watch us and were cheering for us, and all the other little experiences we had like the “dorm wide” gear trade that happened after the final game,” says the Halifax defensive standout, who plays for the Mount Allison Mounties of the AUS.  “There was no animosity as everyone was just happy to be there and making friends from all over the world.”

“It was a great experience and I’ll take away a new appreciation for the sport.”

Fellow defensive lineman Adam Melanson set a tournament high with 3.5 tackles for a loss. While the Kentville, Nova Scotia native made sacrifices to represent his native country in the tournament, he says he is fortunate to have participated in the IFAF event.

“Going to Austin was a big decision for me as I missed my graduation and prom, but it was definitely worth it,” comments the former defensive star of the Horton Griffins of the NSSAFFL.  “I had a great time meeting other players and playing against some of the best under 19 players in the world.”

“Those two weeks in Austin was a great learning experience and I’ve become a better player from it.”

Along with everyone else on Team Canada, the one moment that stood out for Melanson was when the gold medal was presented to the squad.

“The highlight was putting that gold medal around my neck because that’s when it really hit me that we were world champions,” reflects Melanson.  “Being part of history sends shivers down my spine.”

“I love knowing this team will never be forgotten.”

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