Four coaches selected as part of incoming Junior National Team staff

Seven personnel in total to work alongside head coach Sumarah in Road to Gold at 2020 IFAF World Junior Championship.

By Ameeta Vohra

Football Canada is pleased to announce the addition of four coaches to the Junior National Team staff.

Each coach brings a wealth of experience and excellence to their position with two of the coaches returning from the 2018 Junior National Team staff that played an instrumental role in Canada winning their second consecutive IFAF World Junior Championship in Mexico City, Mexico.  The other two coaches helped Canada under-18 staff win the 2018 International Bowl against the United States in Arlington, Texas.

These four coaches complement a strong staff that includes offensive coordinator Marco Iadeluca, defensive coordinator Paul Eddy Saint-Vilien and special teams coordinator Bryan Brandford.  All seven personnel will be lead by Junior National Team head coach Steve Sumarah, whose goal is to lead Canada to a third consecutive title at the 2020 IFAF World Junior Championships.

Gord Beattie : Offensive Line Coach

Considered one the top offensive line coaches in the nation, Gord Beattie is no stranger to success.  For over 28 years, Beattie has excelled in coaching at different levels of the sport.  In addition to being part of the 2018 Junior National Team staff, Beattie was part of the personnel for Canada’s under-19 team at the 2018 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas. In 2016, he was an apprentice coach at the International Bowl.

As a long-time offensive line and run game coordinator, Beattie guided the Citadel Phoenix of the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League (NSSAFFL) to a 10-1 run on route to the team winning their fifth consecutive championship as well as their 10^th banner in 11 years.

Working alongside Junior National Team head coach Steve Sumarah at the university level, the offensive line coach enjoyed tremendous success at the university level with USPORTS team Saint Mary’s Huskies.  During his tenure from 1998-2012 (with the exception of the 2004-2005 season), the Huskies appeared in five Vanier Cup championships, winning two national titles (2001, 2002).

Previous to the Huskies, Beattie coached his alma mater – USPORTS team StFX X-Men where he led the team to a Vanier Cup appearance in 1996 after winning the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference championship.

Representing his province, the Halifax native was offensive coordinator for Nova Scotia’s coaching staff that participated at both the 1998 and 1999 Football Canada Cup tournaments.  Additionally, he was offensive line coach for the provincial team in 1994.

Chris Hopkins : Running back and Wide Receiver Coach

Chris Hopkins has been appointed as Junior National Team running backs and wide receivers coach. The native of Quispamsis, New Brunswick has coached at four consecutive International Bowl tournaments in recent years.  At the 2018 event in Arlington, Texas, Hopkins helped Canada win their game against the United States as defensive line coach.

Last summer, Hopkins ended a five year stint as head coach of New Brunswick’s provincial team by helping the team win their first ever game at the Football Canada Cup in Calgary, Alberta. Not only was he the Technical Director of Football New Brunswick, he also was a positional coach with the provincial team in 2012 and 2013.

After coaching stints with the Mount Allison Mounties and in the New Brunswick Football League (NBHSFL), Hopkins moved to Ottawa to work under Sumarah with USPORTS team Carleton Ravens as running backs and special teams coordinator in 2018.

As a player, Hopkins previously suited up for NBHSFL’s Kennebecasis Valley Crusaders, Fundy Minor Football Association, New Brunswick’s provincial under-19 team and the Mounties.

Sebastian Tetreault : Defensive Line Coach

Defensive line coach is Sebastien Tetreault who is another returning coach from the 2018 IFAF World Junior Championships gold medal winning team.  Additionally, he was part of the personnel for Canada’s Under-19 team that participated at the 2018 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas.

Representing his nation, the native of Granby, Quebec played in the 2006 NFL Global Junior Championship and was selected as a tournament all-star at the defensive end position.

For the past six years, Tetreault has served as the head coach of CEGEP team Outaouais Griffons.  He has been with the organization since 2011.  When he first arrived in Outaouais, he was a defensive line coach and then added on the defensive coordinator position in 2012.

During his playing career, Tetreault was a defensive lineman with USPORTS team Ottawa Gee-Gees for five seasons (2006-2010) and was selected as an All-Canadian three times as well as four OUA all-star nods.

Olivier Turcotte-Letourneau : Defensive Backs Coach

Rounding out the coaching staff is Olivier Turcotte-Letourneau.  The Quebec native has been named defensive backs coach.  In his first international coaching experience, Turcotte-Letourneau helped the under-18 Canadian squad win the 2018 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas against the United States.

Furthermore, he was a player on Canada’s Junior National Team at under-20 World Championships for three consecutive years (2004-2006).

Turcotte-Letourneau was part of the coaching staff that led Quebec to gold medal at 2017 Football Canada Cup in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.  Other coaching stints include Assistant Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach for McGill Redmen, CEGEP Division 2’s Trois Rivieres Diablos and RSEQ Juvenile Division 1 team Saint Jean Eudes Condors

As a player, Turcotte-Letourneau won three Vanier Cups with Laval Rouge et Or (2006, 2008 & 2010) and was selected as RSEQ All-Star three times and CIS All-Canadian twice.

Other Coordinators: http://archive.footballcanada.com/trio-named-as-junior-national-team-coordinators/