2020 Under-18 National Team announced

40 Football Canada Cup all-stars fill roster spots while nine reserve players also selected

By Ameeta Vohra

Ottawa, ON (July 31, 2019) – On Wednesday, Football Canada announced a 40-player roster along with nine alternates for its under-18 National Team.

This roster will represent the country at the 2020 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas on January 15, 2020 at AT&T Stadium. 

The 40 players were selected as all-stars from the 2019 Football Canada Cup which was held earlier this month at Queen’s University’s Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ontario.  Additionally, the seven alternates competed at the tournament.

As part of the pathway for the Junior National Team selection for the 2020 IFAF World Junior Championships in the United States, players who made the under-18 roster are also being evaluated to potentially make the under-19 national team.

This year was particularly challenging task for the selection committee to choose all-stars and narrow down the roster for the 2020 International Bowl while looking ahead to the 2020 IFAF World Junior Championships.

The top 40 that we selected from this year’s Football Canada Cup has been one of the hardest ones I have ever been involved with,” commented Junior National Team Head Coach Steve Sumarah.  “The talent at this year’s Football Canada Cup was exceptional all through the tournament; each team and each player at each position made for an incredible tournament. 

It speaks to the quality not only of the players but the coaching in this tournament. I think the most important thing that we saw was the level of competitiveness across the country is starting to rise.  Congratulations to Saskatchewan on their back to back success, but with so many close games and talented kids, it made for an exciting week.”

Highlighting the list of players on the under-18 roster are quarterback Eloa Latendresse Regimbald (Montreal, QC), linebacker Seth Hundeby (Saskatoon, SK) and Emile Choquet (Blainville, QC) who were the respective offensive, defensive and special teams MVPs of this year’s Football Canada Cup.

Saskatchewan, who is on the heels of winning back-to-back Football Canada Cup gold medals, has fielded nine players on the roster and also has two alternates.  

Silver medallist Quebec has the most players with 10 players and one reserve players.  Meanwhile, bronze medal winner Alberta has five players and one alternate. Ontario (five players, one alternate), Manitoba (six players, no alternates), British Columbia (three players, two alternates, New Brunswick (one player, no alternate) and Nova Scotia (one player, one alternate) make up the rest of the composition of the roster.

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This post is also available in: French