Latest news with #FootballCanada
Globe and Mail
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Football Canada hires LaPolice, Lessard as national flag football head coaches
Paul LaPolice has a new coaching gig. The former CFL coach was named head coach of the Canadian men's national flag football team Thursday. Football Canada also announced the appointment of Rachel Lessard as the head coach of Canada's senior women's squad. Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles. LaPolice has more than 20 years of pro coaching experience, having served as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2010-12) and Ottawa Redblacks (2020-2022). He has most recently worked as a football analyst with TSN. LaPolice has also worked as an offensive coach over his CFL tenure, which should benefit him in the transition to flag football. 'We're thrilled to welcome Paul LaPolice to our national team program,' Katie Miyazaki, Football Canada's director of high performance, said in a statement. 'His proven leadership and commitment to excellence along with a wealth of experience from the pro sport landscape is going to elevate our program to the next level.' Canada will begin preparations for international qualification events and the 2026 IFAF world flag football championship, which will be a key event toward Olympic participation. 'I am humbled to be able to represent the football community of Canada as well as the country that I have called home for the past 25 years,' said LaPolice. Football Canada's final ID camp will be held in Montreal May 23-24. Lessard brings more than 29 years of experience as a player and coach to the national women's program. She will lead Canada into the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China. 'Rachel has a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level and how to be a leader in that space,' said Miyazaki. 'She's a proven winner and we are certain that under coach Lessard's guidance, our athletes will be well-positioned to achieve their fullest potential on the international stage.' Lessard has also served as head coach/defensive co-ordinator for Montreal's Cayenne senior team, Quebec's under-18 provincial excellence program. Lessard has earned multiple medals – nationally and internationally – as a player and coach, including gold at the 2024 national senior championships and 2024 Tampa world championships. Most recently, she coached the University of Montreal to a second Canadian collegiate flag football national crown. 'This game has given me everything,' Lessard said. 'I'm proud and humbled to have the privilege to lead these extraordinary athletes. 'Eyes on the podium. The journey starts now.' Football Canada's final national ID camp will be held May 22-24 in Montreal.
CBC
08-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Football Canada hires LaPolice, Lessard as national flag football head coaches
Paul LaPolice has a new coaching gig. The former CFL coach was named head coach of the Canadian men's national flag football team Thursday. Football Canada also announced the appointment of Rachel Lessard as the head coach of Canada's senior women's squad. Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles. LaPolice has over 20 years of pro coaching experience, having served as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2010-12) and Ottawa Redblacks (2020-2022). He has most recently worked as a football analyst with TSN. LaPolice has also worked as an offensive coach over his CFL tenure, which should benefit him in transitioning him to flag football. "We're thrilled to welcome Paul LaPolice to our national team program," Katie Miyazaki, Football Canada's director of high performance, said in a statement. "His proven leadership and commitment to excellence along with a wealth of experience from the pro sport landscape is going to elevate our program to the next level." Flag football set to be included at Los Angeles Olympics in 2028; breakdancing out Canada will begin preparations for international qualification events and the '26 IFAF world flag football championship, which will be a key event toward Olympic participation. "I am humbled to be able to represent the football community of Canada as well as the country that I have called home for the past 25 years," said LaPolice. Football Canada's final ID camp will be held in Montreal May 23-24. Lessard provides extensive experience Lessard brings over 29 years of experience as a player and coach to the national women's program. She will lead Canada into the '25 World Games in Chengdu, China. "Rachel has a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level and how to be a leader in that space," said Miyazaki. "She's a proven winner and we are certain that under coach Lessard's guidance, our athletes will be well-positioned to achieve their fullest potential on the international stage." Lessard has earned multiple medals — nationally and internationally — as a player and coach, including gold at the '24 national senior championships and '24 Tampa world championships. Most recently, she coached the University of Montreal to a second Canadian collegiate flag football national crown. "This game has given me everything," Lessard said. "I'm proud and humbled to have the privilege to lead these extraordinary athletes. "Eyes on the podium. The journey starts now."
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Football Canada hires LaPolice, Lessard as national flag football head coaches
OTTAWA – Paul LaPolice has a new coaching gig. The former CFL coach was named head coach of the Canadian men's national flag football team Thursday. Football Canada also announced the appointment of Rachel Lessard as the head coach of Canada's senior women's squad. Flag football will make its Olympic debut in 2028 in Los Angeles. LaPolice has over 20 years of pro coaching experience, having served as head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2010-12) and Ottawa Redblacks (2020-2022). He has most recently worked as a football analyst with TSN. LaPolice has also worked as an offensive coach over his CFL tenure, which should benefit him in transitioning him to flag football. 'We're thrilled to welcome Paul LaPolice to our national team program,' Katie Miyazaki, Football Canada's director of high performance, said in a statement. 'His proven leadership and commitment to excellence along with a wealth of experience from the pro sport landscape is going to elevate our program to the next level.' Canada will begin preparations for international qualification events and the '26 IFAF world flag football championship, which will be a key event toward Olympic participation. 'I am humbled to be able to represent the football community of Canada as well as the country that I have called home for the past 25 years,' said LaPolice. Football Canada's final ID camp will be held in Montreal May 23-24. Lessard brings over 29 years of experience as a player and coach to the national women's program. She will lead Canada into the '25 World Games in Chengdu, China. 'Rachel has a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level and how to be a leader in that space,' said Miyazaki. 'She's a proven winner and we are certain that under coach Lessard's guidance, our athletes will be well-positioned to achieve their fullest potential on the international stage.' Lessard has also served as head coach/defensive co-ordinator for Montreal's Cayenne senior team, Quebec's under-18 provincial excellence program. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Lessard has earned multiple medals — nationally and internationally — as a player and coach, including gold at the '24 national senior championships and '24 Tampa world championships. Most recently, she coached the University of Montreal to a second Canadian collegiate flag football national crown. 'This game has given me everything,' Lessard said. 'I'm proud and humbled to have the privilege to lead these extraordinary athletes. 'Eyes on the podium. The journey starts now.' Football Canada's final national ID camp will be held May 22-24 in Montreal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ontario artist's Super Bowl football design celebrates Indigenous culture
Growing up, Quentin Commanda dreamt of playing in the NFL and reaching the Super Bowl. The pro football career never happened, but Commanda is closer to Super Bowl LIX than most. On Monday, the NFL unveiled a football designed by the 44-year-old Nipissing First Nation (Garden Village, Ont.) artist as part of its lead-up to Sunday's game in New Orleans. "Football was something I was very passionate about growing up and the NFL was always something I kind of imagined playing in," Commanda said. "But I realize this is a huge platform and an amazing opportunity and I wanted to make the best of it. "To be part of the Super Bowl, I am very much aware of the impact it will have. It still doesn't feel real yet." When NFL Canada commissioned Commanda, whose artist name is Que Rock, last fall to design an official football, he knew immediately how to tackle the project. 'In Anishinaabe teachings, the strawberry, o'demin, represents heart and to me heart is a big part of football," he said. "I immediately saw the marriage between the strawberry and football. "Many of the ways we pass our culture on from one generation to the next is through different art forms. I put many layers of teachings so the main goal is to definitely create a visual healing experience, an education experience and get that conversation going." The design project is part of a broader partnership between NFL Canada and Football Canada aimed at increasing access to the sport in Indigenous communities. Commanda also sees it as an opportunity for people to ask questions and learn about Indigenous culture. "Western art is usually interpretive art where Indigenous art is focused on education," he said. "For the average Joe seeing this for the first time, I'm hoping it's a lot of inspiration from many different directions." A total of 50 Super Bowl footballs bearing Commanda's design were produced at Wilson's factory in Ada, Ohio, where each NFL game ball is handmade. Some of these balls will be displayed at NFL and Football Canada events, as well as grassroots gatherings. Commanda's colourful design integrates nature's four elements, the medicine wheel, and a visual land acknowledgment. He also noted that NFL Canada gave him creative control, which is a rarity for him. "I find many of my clients usually have an agenda they want and are adamant about sneaking it in," he said. "But this was something where there wasn't even a suggestion, it was literally, 'Whatever you can come up with.' "(NFL Canada) actually said yes to my first design, something that's also very rare." Commanda said it took him about a week to do the initial rough sketch and, upon acceptance, another two or three days to complete the final design. He couldn't be happier with the finished product. "I've never had a project make me giggle, literally give me a joyful smile," he said. "The only way I can really express that, it's like a sigh of relief but with a giggle. "I'm usually really good with describing things but I'm still short on words right now." Several footballs are earmarked for the Dream Catcher Foundation, an organization founded by Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Eli Ankou. Ankou was raised in Ottawa but is a member of the Ojibwe tribe through his mother and has family living in the Dokis First Nation near Sudbury, Ont. Ankou said Commanda scored a game-winning TD with his design. "The colours just align, everything is so intentional and I think there's a deeper rooted message within," he said. "I didn't go into it with any expectations because with anything, especially art, everything comes from the soul, everything comes from the artist himself. "Having nothing in mind about what I was expecting to see then seeing it, to me they're simply beautiful." That's music to Commanda's ears. "Wow, that makes me feel amazing because I hadn't really heard anything from anyone," he said. "Community is always about contributing … especially for these types of important projects. "But I feel like I'm part of an all-star team." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb, 4, 2025. Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
