Second LFL Canada season kicks off next month

Return of American superstars to add excitement in upcoming second season of LFL Canada 

As the Legends Football League prepares to begin its second Canadian season on October 5, stars from LFL US shall be joining the ranks of competitors in the budding league. While some of these stars had played in the inaugural Canadian season, others will be new faces.

Each franchise in LFL Canada shall have three US players competing on their roster. This repeats the trend that occurred last season as each franchise had a minimum of three US players. Heading into this season, five of the 12 US stars are familiar to LFL Canada fans.

Seattle Mist legend Jessica Hopkins helped lead the BC Angels to the 2012 league championship while mentoring Canadian players such as Katie Marshall and Stevi Schnoor. Ironically, Ogom Chijindu shall be joining Hopkins on the Angels.

The two have been rivals during their storied LFL careers. Chijindu is a member of the Los Angeles Temptation, the biggest rival of the Seattle Mist. In addition, Chijindu competed with the Saskatoon Sirens in 2012. Despite winning the regular season title, Chijindu and the Sirens would lose to the Angels in the 2012 title game.  The thought of the two as teammates is a unique storyline for the 2013 LFL Canada season.

Running back Tamar Fennell of the Cleveland Crush is following in Chijindu’s footsteps and playing for a different LFL Canada franchise this season. In 2012, Fennell was also a member of the Sirens, finishing as one of the league’s top rushers. Joining the expansion Calgary Fillies, she will be expected to shoulder the load of the offense.

Quite possibly the greatest LFL player today, Anne “Showtime” Erler returns to the Saskatoon Sirens for a second consecutive season. The LFL Canada Most Valuable Player in 2012, she followed it up by winning the Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2013 for LFL US.

With the Sirens rivalry against the Regina Rage, it is only fitting that the Rage welcome back Nikki Johnson. Normally the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Sin, Johnson recorded the first touchdown pass in LFL Canada history last season. Johnson was the catalyst for the Regina offense, which ranked first during the 2012 LFL Canada campaign. Her presence will be crucial for a club that missed the postseason by one game last year.

The remaining LFL US players joining Canadian rosters shall be crucial in helping the young Canadian talent develop into world class players. Danielle Harvey, a tight end with the Los Angeles Temptation shall join Hopkins and Chijindu in BC.

Calgary welcomes one of Fennell’s teammates from Cleveland; Theresa Petruziello. As the receiving leader for the Crush, Petruziello is a dependable football player who scored six touchdowns for the Crush in 2013. Of great interest to Fillies fans, she can also play strong on defense, with 20 tackles during the most recent LFL US season.

In addition, Angela Rypien, daughter of Calgary-born Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien shall join the Fillies as their starting quarterback. One of the most popular players in LFL US, Rypien’s presence in Calgary shall generate significant interest while helping give the Fillies an opportunity to compete.

Nikki Johnson welcomes two of her teammates from the Las Vegas Sin.  Tight end Danika Brace and wide receiver Kelley Schroeder will serve as familiar targets for Johnson. In 2013, Johnson had another solid season with the Sin, throwing for 309 yards and eight touchdowns.

Schroeder was the recipient for 151 of those passing yards to lead all receivers on the Sin. Her 12 receptions ranked fifth among all LFL receivers in the 2013 US season. Brace was used primarily on defense, racking up 12.5 total tackles.

As Erler looks towards bringing the Sirens back in the championship picture, she will be joined by two familiar faces. Tight end Hallie Jiskra played with Erler on the Green Bay Chill, while Laura “Sticks” Peterson is a member of the rival Chicago Bliss.

One of the youngest players during the 2013 US season, Jiskra’s work ethic and solid performance made her one of the fan favourites on the Chill. Offensively, she logged 114 yards, averaging an impressive 19 yards per catch. On six receptions, five went for touchdowns. Also contributing as a defensive end, the 5’9” Jiskra logged seven tackles. Her efforts not only give the Chill a bright future, but should provide Sirens fans with another reason to believe a championship in 2013 may be a reality.

Peterson is another solid two-way player that should capture the hearts and minds of Sirens fans. With 64 receiving yards and 15.5 tackles during a championship season with the Chicago Bliss, the opportunity to compete in Saskatoon should only sharpen her skills.

With every franchise acquiring US talent, it not only proves to be a new boon of talent, but the gaining of faith.  The end game is to win the championship and every roster enters the season with that confidence.

As LFL Canada looks to eventually stand on its own feet with strong Canadian talent, another year of playing with superlative talent from down south is invaluable. The knowledge and mentoring that will help the league’s young Canadian stars shall prove to be precious.

Last season, talent such as Katie Marshall, Stevi Schnoor, Kylie Rossler, Andrea Cecchini, Candace Friesen and Casey Simpson saw their game grow by a quantum leap with the guidance they obtained from US stars.

Many of this year’s most promising rookies, Deanna Schaper-Kotter, Cheyanna Rusk, Sarah Jane Pratt and Kristina Ginter will now have the privilege of learning from their American counterparts. The results should yield more than just positive results, but a stronger foundation upon which LFL Canada can build.