Blogging duty calls to point out
jwcfootball.com is your destination if you want a live feed or live scoring from the Junior World Championship in Canton, Ohio. Team Canada, under Laval coach
Glen Constantin, is already assured of a spot in the semi-final heading into its second round-robin game vs. Japan which kicks off at 4 p.m. in Canton, Ohio.
It's not as if this event did not come to attention earlier, but it is not clear how seriously it should be taken. Canada, Mexico and the U.S. won their first games by an aggregate score of 184-7 over New Zealand, Sweden and France. Did the French run the original Statue of Liberty play against the Americans? It would also not as a shock if the only thing written on their quarterback's play wristband was,
"Prenez un genou."All kidding aside (jokes that require users to know arcane football terms and be bilingual, that's good fun), it sounds like an event which could be beneficial for Canadian football players and coaches. Canada's staff is
who's-who of good university coaches. There is a fair bit of CIS representation on the field as well. The roster is Quebec-dominated, but incoming Calgary Dinos tailback
Steven Lumbala and receiver
Taylor Nill (son of Dinos coach
Blake Nill, who's coaching Canada's linebackers) each got in the end zone in Saturday's win over the Kiwis. Guelph defensive back
Jordan Duncan also took down an interception. Another new Dino, tackle Kirby Fabien, is supposed to be impressed. Ottawa native
Ron Omara, who plays junior football with the Cumberland Panthers, also had five tackles in that first game.
At the same time, it has humble beginnings. Western coach
Greg Marshall had to decline an invitation to join Constantin's staff since it would have cut into recruiting time. The
London Free Press also noted each player had to raise $1,000 for the trip and sacrifice three weeks of summertime employment, which is hard, especially with Ontario's tuition levels.
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