When the 2010 U15 National Flag Football tournament kicks off in Ottawa, Ontario on August 14, coaches Paul Lancaster and Eddie Ferg have just one message to all the participating teams in this year's tournament: Watch out for the Spider Monkeys.
Lancaster and Ferg are the coaches of the under-15 Coquitlam Spider Monkeys Flag Football team that earned their way to national championship after winning the provincial tournament that took place in Kelowna back in June. After nearly two months without any game action, the Spider Monkey coaches and players are itching to get back into the competitive mode.
"We have been practicing twice a week in the last couple weeks, preparing ourselves for the humidity and heat and the time change," said Coach Lancaster in an e-mail to Football BC. "We have also been lucky to have had over 50 players involved in Coquitlam at all levels push this group every week."
While the team - comprised of players Chase Malcolm, Malcolm Lee, Kevin Marshall, Shane Noel, Tristen Sands and Connor McKee - have been the toast of Coquitlam every since capturing the provincial title, city pride will take a backseat to provincial pride once they arrive in Ottawa and take on the moniker of "Team BC." The Spider Monkeys are the second "Team BC" to compete in a national football tournament this year following in the footsteps of the under-18 tackle team that won a bronze medal at the 2010 Football Canada Cup back in July.
The Spider Monkeys figure to be up against some very tough competition, as always, in this year's tournament as they face off against provincial champions from across Canada. Lancaster expects a particularly tough challenge from the host Ontario team who he figures will be the team to beat in the tournament - that is, aside from his own squad of course.
"Team Ontario is perennial Canadian and World Champions with a returning third year quarterback," said Lancaster. "If they are as strong and as disciplined as the Frigon-coached Westside team, it will be a game for the ages."
The Westside team that Lancaster mentions is, of course, the Vancouver Westside Packers squad led by Kevin Frigon. The Packers were U15 BC provincial champions last season and went on to win a silver medal at the 2009 national championships. They bowed out of this year's provincial tournament following a loss to the Spider Monkeys in the semi-finals. While Lancaster notes there is a strong rivalry between the Westside and Coquitlam programs, he admits there is also plenty of mutual respect between them and that his team's prior run-ins with the Packers can only serve to benefit them as they prepare to head off to the national tournament.
"We are a better team having to prepare against such well-coached teams in BC and we hope this gives us an advantage in the Nationals," said Lancaster.
This year's trip to the national tournament marks the second time in the past three years that a Coquitlam team has earned the right to represent BC. Two Spider Monkeys from this year's squad - Chase Malcolm and Malcolm Lee - were part of the 2008 team that finished fifth in the U15 tournament held in Prince Edward Island. Suffice to say, they have their sights set much higher this time around according to Coach Lancaster.
"This time we plan on going there to win."
For more information on the U15 National Flag Tournament that runs from August 14-16, please visit www.footballcanada.com.
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