30 National/Provincial Players, 2 coaches on teams competing In CFL Divisional Semi-Finals

Four teams to battle on Rememberance Day

The CFL postseason is getting into high gear this weekend as four teams are set to battle for the right to advance to divisional finals the week after.

In the first divisional semi-final, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will host the BC Lions at 1:00 p.m. EST on Sunday November 11, 2018.  Next up will be Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. EST.

On all four of these teams, there are 30 players and two coaches that have either represented Canada on the international stage or have competed for their province at previous Football Canada Cup tournaments.

The Junior National Team competes in IFAF sanctioned events such as the World Junior Championships, International Bowl and North American Championship and the program itself is run by Football Canada. Meanwhile, the Provincial Programs provides opportunities for athletes to develop locally and are governed by Football Canada.  The Provincial Sport Organizations run these programs and it prepares athletes to compete in the Football Canada’s national under-18 championship, the Football Canada Cup.

There are 17 players on rosters for the first semi-final between the Lions and Tiger-Cats.  Of this group, six of them have been on the Junior National Team.  Lions defensive lineman David Menard, linebacker Ron Omara, and Tiger-Cats kicker Lirim Hajrullahu were on the 2009 team that claimed silver at the IFAF World Cup after losing the gold medal game to rivals, United States 40-3 in Canton, Ohio under head coach Glen Constantin.

Furthermore, Tiger-Cats running back Mercer Timmis, Lions wide receiver Shaquille Johnson and offensive lineman David Knevel competed on the 2012 squad that won gold in Texas at the IFAF World Junior Championships.  Canada defeated the United States 23-17 under head coach Noel Thorpe, who is currently coaching with the Ottawa Redblacks.

Tiger-Cats defensive back Nick Parisotto was part of the 2014 Junior National Team that earned silver at the IFAF World Championships in Kuwait under head coach Warren Craney. Canada lost in the gold medal game to the United States 40-17 that year.

Hajrullahu was also member of the IFAF Senior Men’s team in 2011.  Anthony Parker represented Canada at the Under-19 Global Football Challenge in 2007.

Another three players represented Canada on the IFAF World Team – Johnson (2013), Peter Godber (2012) and Edward Godin (2012).  Godin and Charles Vaillancourt were part of the 2012 International Bowl while Timmis went the next year.

Between the Lions and Tiger-Cats, at least 11 of those players have participated in Football Canada Cup, the national championship.

As for the game between the Blue Bombers and Roughriders, 13 players on those rosters have provincial and national experience.  Highlighting this group are Roughriders quarterback Brandon Bridge who was part of the World Team in 2010, Blue Bombers lineman Matthias Goosen who was a two time member of the World Team (2011, 2012) and Blue Bombers linebacker John Rush who helped Canada win their first ever gold medal at the IFAF World Junior Championships in 2012 and was also on the World Team that year.

In addition to Rush, Blue Bombers Jesse Briggs and Jake Thomas (2009) as well as Roughriders Micah Teitz (2014) have been members of the Junior National Team.  Teitz helped Canada claim silver in Kuwait at the 2014 IFAF World Junior Championship after losing to the United States in the gold medal game 40-17.

In total, eight players from the rosters involved in the second semi-final have represented their provinces at the Football Canada Cup.

Blue Bombers General Manager Kyle Walters was a coach on the 2009 Junior National Team.  Of note, Walters coached alongside current Montreal Alouettes special teams’ coordinator Mickey Donovan on that squad.

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