Football Canada unveils U18 coaching staff for Orlando

Staff to lead Canada’s U18s at 2017 series against U.S. on Jan. 28

Photo credit: USA Football

Football Canada has unveiled its under-18 national team coaching staff which will guide a group of 40 players chosen from the 2016 Football Canada Cup competing at the inaugural North American Championship on January 28, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. The series of games between USA Football and Football Canada features under-18 and under-19 national team competition.

The matchup will help identify and prepare Canada’s Junior National Team as they look to defend their 2016 IFAF U19 World Championship in 2018.

The U18 coaching staff was selected from each of the eight participating provincial teams that competed at the 2016 under-18 national tackle football championship, the Football Canada Cup, held July 9-15 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The staff is led by Quebec U18 provincial team head coach, Marco Iadeluca, who is set to serve the same role with Team Canada in Orlando after helping la belle province capture gold in Winnipeg.  Iadeluca has international experience, previously working as a position coach with Canada’s Junior National Team at the inaugural IFAF U19 World Championship in 2009.

While 2017 marks Iadeluca’s first appearance on the U18 national team, four members of Canada’s national team’s coaching staff return to the annual U18 showcase game against USA Football in 2017.

Chris Hopkins returns for his third-straight stint with the U18 national team while Paul-Eddy Saint-Vilien returns as Canada’s defensive coordinator for the second year in a row.

Rejoining the program alongside Hopkins and Saint-Vilien are Steve Snyder and Rob Underhill. The pair served as the U18 national team’s respective offensive and defensive coordinators in Canada’s 25-9 victory at the 2015 International Bowl.

Led by incoming head coach Steve Sumarah and the Junior National Team coaching staff, Canada’s under-19 national team will also compete in Orlando.

The North American Championship builds on the rich rivalry developed between the two national teams as Canada and the U.S. have met in each of the first four gold medal games at the IFAF U19 (Junior) World Championships. Canada evened up its junior world’s gold medal game record, at two, following a 24-6 victory in China. In 2012, Canada defeated Team USA 23-17 to capture its first gold in Austin, Texas.

The U.S. and Canada’s national teams began playing an annual series of games in 2014. This upcoming January will mark the first time that the winter series of games between the two North American national teams is held outside of the International Bowl series. The International Bowl was established in 2010 as a USA versus the World game, played around NCAA national signing day.

2017 U18 national team coaching staff

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