OVFL Prospects Game: Capitalizing on the experience

This past Saturday afternoon at McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Stadium, the OVFL All-Star Prospects Game took place, where the Wettges and Adams Conferences squared off.

In a hard fought game that only saw 18 points scored, Adams edged Wettges 10-8 after overcoming a 8-7 deficit in the third quarter with a field goal. Defence reigned supreme as no point were scored in the fourth quarter.

With the game over, the players had some time to reflect on the experience with CanadaFootballChat.com

Being Chosen to Play

“It’s obviously a great honour to be named to the team because of the competition we have in the league,” stated Connor Smith, a quarterback for the Toronto Thunder.

The game had an exciting atmosphere and was a lot of fun,” said Daynar Facey, a wide receiver who also plays for the Toronto Thunder. “It was a great honour to have my work this past season recognized.”

“Being named to play in the game is an honour because it feels good to be recognized as an exceptional player in the league and to join others of the level,” added Alonzo Addae, a defensive back for the Pickering Dolphins.

“Just being able to play against the best and play well against the best in a big stadium like McMaster was just an amazing and memorable experience,” said Kesean Bennett, a linebacker with the Pickering Dolphins

The Competition

“It’s great to play against the best of the best and even greater to be considered among them,” said Facey. “Due to the amount of talent we had a lot of rotations so I personally don’t feel like I could get into a rhythm.”

“This year’s All-Star Prospects Game was an amazing experience for me,” said Craig Dawe, an offensive lineman for the Ottawa Myers Riders. “The game speed was extremely fast and intense.”

“The game was very competitive because it’s the best against the best and nobody wants to come second place,” explained Addae.

Learning and Adapting

“My experience at the 2014 OVFL All-Star Game was remarkable,” stated Austin Gonsalves, a running back with the Markham Raiders. “The coaches were very good at teaching a brand new system considering we only had two hours of practice.They were also very understanding and overall a good group of coaches.”

“Working with new coaches is always good because for me I’m like a sponge,” said Addae. “I love to soak up new information from different people to better my game.”

“It was a great experience and the coaching staff was a really good staff that I felt comfortable working with,” added Tyler Clucas Warren, offensive lineman for the Toronto Thunder.

The Coaches Perspective

I love these kind of games, because I believe it is great for the kids,” said Roberto ‘Bubba’ Allen, Defensive Line Coach for the Wettges Conference. “They get to meet and be teammates with guys they have been play going against for years and for this one day, they are wearing the same color and playing for the same cause and in some cases, a lot of these kids remain friends and end up being college teammates.  What stood out for me most, is how quickly the kids developed a comrade. It’s as if they have been playing together for years,”

“Considering our limited preparation time, I was impressed with the players’ ability to just go out there and make plays,” stated Wettges Special Teams Coach John Buck.

Matt Kassner, who is a coach with the Myers Riders, served as a Linebackers Coach for the All-Star Game.  He talked about how great of an experience the game can be for each player and how it can prove to be very important for their future.

“You can tell by the emotion in the game that both teams wanted to win pretty badly, said Kassner. “To represent your team and your family, I think it’s a great experience for all the kids.”

“There was probably at least ten or twelve university schools talking to them after the game, I think that’s a good experience for a lot of them,” he said of the opportunity to play in front of university scouts. “For many it’s there first time being scouted, I think that’s eye opening for them, seeing all these schools looking at them and talking with them. It gets them a little more excited and puts a little more motivation for this upcoming season and training to get to the next level.”