WWC 2013: Team Canada Preview

Canada is the defending silver medalist from the inaugural 2010 IFAF Women’s World Championship held in Stockholm, Sweden. Led by Maritime Women’s Football League pioneer Larry Harlow, Canada opened the 2010 WWC with a 12-6 win against host Sweden then reached the finals with a 20-12 win over Germany.

Canada’s Women’s National Team identification process began during August of 2012 with the Challenge Cup held in Montreal, Quebec hosting 175 players from 1 regional team and 4 provincial teams. Based on their performances in Montreal, 90 players earned invitations to attend either the East (Fredericton, New Brunswick) or West (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) selection camp held February 24 and March 2, 2013, respectively. From these camps 45 players were selected for the National Team along with an approximate 10 player reserve list as the women headed into their 2013 seasons.

In preparation for the 2013 National Championships Football Canada asked each province to send a Provincial team to the National Challenge Cup hosted in Montreal during the Summer of 2012. Over 175 women from five different provinces participated in the first ever National Competition. From this competition over 90 women were selected to participate in Eastern and Western Identification Camps which were held in February 2013. From theses camps 45 players were selected for the National Team along with a reserve list of approximately 10 players. Currently our players are participating in their 2013 Spring football seasons. Our athletes have been working and training hard since the Spring of 2012 to represent our Country proudly.

Coaching Staff:
Jeff Yausie – Head Coach
François Bougie – Offensive Coordinator
Pierre Migner – Defensive Coordinator
Olivier Eddie – Special Teams Coordinator
Craig Bachynski – Defensive Backs
Jordan Coones – Quarterbacks
Chris Hengen-Braun – Offensive Line
Dan Houle – Running backs
Chad Palmer – Receivers
Shirley Benson – Mentor coach

Jeff Yausie is head coach of the back-to-back Western Women’s Canadian Football League (WWCFL) champion Saskatoon Valkyries. Yausie, a certified NCCP level 3 coach, has been a mainstay with the Saskatoon Hilltops of the CJFL, coaching linebackers the past 10 years. As a player he spent two years in the CFL with both Ottawa and Calgary.

François Bougie boasts over 20 years of coaching experience including head coach of the Montreal Blitz’ for their inaugural 2001 season in the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL). In addition to a silver medal as Canada’s offensive line coach in 2010, Bougie’s international success includes leading Canada’s women to a gold medal at the 2010 IFAF Flag Football World Championships as well as silver in 2008.

Pierre Migner has been with the Montreal Blitz of the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) since 2010 as head coach and defensive coordinator. Migner helped lead the Blitz to an IWFL championship in 2012 and under his leadership the Blitz have won 29 of their 30 games. A certified NCCP level 3 coach, Pierre has also coached the Lakeshore Cougars linebackers and defensive line for a period of 10 years.

Olivier Eddie most recently guided Team Atlantic’s offense at the 2012 Women’s Challenge Cup. A former Mount Allison University player, Eddie’s coaching résumé includes receiver and special teams coach with his alma mater as well as Fredericton Women’s Gladiators of the MWFL.

Craig Bachynski has 26 years of coaching experience including the past four as head coach of the Manitoba Fearless of the WWCFL. A certified NCCP level 4 coach, Bachynski returns to the national team coaching staff after serving as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2010.

As offensive coordinator, Jordan Coones helped the Montreal Blitz defeat the Sacramento Sirens in the 2012 IWFL championship game. Coones began with the Blitz in 2010 as receivers coach and is also head coach and offensive coordinator at Lindsay Place High School.

Chris Hengen-Braun currently coaches the Saskatoon Valkyries offensive line, the same position he has held at Aden Bowman Collegiate the previous six years. A former offensive lineman who played for Saskatchewan at the 2006 Football Canada Cup, before helping guide the Saskatoon Hilltops to two national championships in his five years in the CJFL.

Dan Houle is a former player with both the Hilltops and Colts of the CJFL as well as the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He currently coaches running backs at his alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan and holds the same position with the Valkyries in addition to offensive coordinator duties.

Chad Palmer has spent the previous two years coaching with the Valkyries in addition to Saskatchewan’s entry at the 2012 Women’s Challenge Cup. For the past three years he’s also coached offensive line and receivers at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon at the Senior High School level.

The Team:

Some of the most notable players for Team Canada are:

DB – Frédérique Crête or Marie-Noëlle Beaulieu
LB – Jenn DeGuise
DL – Trina Graves
OL – Beth Thompson
RB – Sophie Roy or Lya Jolicoeur
RC – Marci Kiselyk or Claire Dore
QB – Saadia Ashraf

WWC:

The history of football in Canada has a long and storied tradition. Recently we have made huge strides in providing opportunities for women to experience and play the great game of football. Our coaches and players are excited to represent our country in this great game. We have selected talented athletes who believe in the core values of football; Toughness, Team Work and Humility. Our Coaches and players are excited about this opportunity and we look forward to representing our country with Passion and Pride.

Source:  Touchdown Europe.net