FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT MICHAEL PRESTON
NFL GLOBAL JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP VIII
781-363-0305 / michaelp67@aol.com

Canada plots to steal USA championship crown

CANADA IS LOOKING to the ranks of the Canadian Football League and a reigning Grey Cup champion to plot the downfall of Team USA and opponents from around the world in the NFL Global Junior Championship VIII.

Narrowly defeated by the American host team in each of the last three tournament finals, Canada will be under new leadership in Houston in 2004 when DANNY MACIOCIA brings his 36-man roster to take on USA, Russia, Japan and Mexico. [UTF-8?]The head coach, who is also offensive coordinator of Canada's victorious Edmonton Eskimos, will come up against another champion in Team USA head coach MIKE JOHNSTON, whose Katy High School team plays for the Texas state championship this weekend.

The international junior all-stars will kick off the eighth annual NFL Global Junior [UTF-8?]Championship at Houston's Tully Stadium, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28 when Russia opens the proceedings against Mexico, while USA and Canada clash at 4:20 p.m. Games are played over two seven-minute halves. The top two teams from the round robin standings will meet in the Championship Game at 4:00 p.m. on the eve of Super Bowl XXXVIII, Saturday, January 31.

Maciocia has assembled a coaching staff that boasts more than 110 years of experience and consists of Marco Ladeluca (St-Leonard Cougars, CJFL, offensive coordinator / quarterbacks), Carl Brennan (Laval University, offensive line), Pat Gregory (University of Montreal, receivers), Pat Sheahan [UTF-8?](Queens University, running backs), Randy Fournier (University of Ottawa, defensive line), Scott Norris (Winnipeg Rifles, CJFL, special teams), and former Edmonton Eskimos player and coach Pete Lavorato (California HS, defensive coordinator / defensive backs).

Their expertise, tremendous communications skills and passion for football will be key [UTF-8?]elements in the team's success and will highly benefit each player's [UTF-8?]development, said Maciocia. It is a great pleasure and a privilege for me to [UTF-8?]be surrounded by such an exceptional group of coaches.

Team [UTF-8?]USA will call on many of Johnston's trusty Katy staff and other respected coaches from the Houston area. Gary Joseph (defensive coordinator / secondary), Chris Massey (offensive coordinator), Kent Bruno (middle linebackers) Scott Svendsen (wide receivers), Jeff Dixon (running backs), Todd Thompson (outside linebackers), John Peace (defensive tackles) and Justin Landers (athletic trainer) of Katy will be joined by Ray Seals (quarterbacks) of Madison high school, retired Stratford HS coach Oscar Cripps (offensive line), Neil Quillan (defensive ends) from Humble HS and honorary head coach Eddie Joseph.

Under [UTF-8?]Johnston's leadership Katy has won two Texas State Championships, in 1997 and 2000, and at high noon on Saturday, December 20, bids for a third at the San Antonio Alamodome. Opponent Southlake Carroll is the defending state 5A champion and boasts a 31-game winning streak, which is one victory short of the longest streak in Texas 5A history - held by the Katy Tigers.

Coach Johnston has already named his 36-man Team USA roster, comprising of players from 25 Houston-Harris County area high schools, and Maciocia will decide on his Canadian line up on December 23. A camp being held in [UTF-8?]Montreal from December 20 to 22 will bring together 90 of Canada's best teenage football players. A total of 40 youngsters have been invited from an original 154 who attended the Quebec selection camp, while Western Canada accounts for 16 of the group and the remainder come from Ontario.

Unlike Team USA, whose flag is traditionally flown by scholar athletes from the host Super Bowl city, Canada can draw on players from previous tournaments, bringing valuable NFL Global Junior Championship experience to the squad.

Eleven of the 90 vying for a roster spot in Montreal have represented their country before. Ronald Hilaire, David Bouchard, Maxime Tardif and Patrice Marcoux will attempt to make the team for a third time. Matthew Leblanc, Philippe Beaubien, Sammy Okpro, Mathieu Parent, Gaïus Renelick, Sébastien Dallaire and Hamid Mahmoudi are hoping to represent Canada for a second year.

The three other countries competing for the NFL Global Junior Championship VIII, Russia, Japan and Mexico, must name their 36-man rosters by a January 5 deadline.