Kevin McBain
of The Crossroads
If you want to watch some great football, book July 7 off and plan to attend the 22nd annual Can-Am Bowl in Kerrobert.
The event, being held in Kerrobert for the second straight year, features the top Grade 12 players from Team Canada (Saskatchewan – Alberta) against some of the top six-man players from across the United States.
The Can-Am Bowl began in July 1997 when an American All-star team made the trip to Canada to play a Saskatchewan All-star team in Porcupine Plain, Sask. hosted by Bjorkdale. The U.S. won that inaugural game 40-22 and have dominated since then, having won 17 games compared to just four by the Canadians. The Canadians’ last win happened in Carrot River in 2009, when they won 17-16.
Head coach of the Kerrobert Rebels Troy Snider will once again be at the helm of Team Canada and said that he is excited to host the event again.
“It is very exciting. We really enjoyed last year’s event,” he said. “This year not a lot of schools expressed interest in hosting and we decided to roll with it and keep it going.”
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The event is not just one game, but it is a week-long campaign starting when the players from Team Canada arrive, from all across the province, on July 3. The American team is expected to have 18 players on their roster, while the Canadians carry 21 including hometown player Clay Mackinnon who won’t be able to play after injuring his Achilles tendon at the Regina Thunder’s Spring Camp in early May.
Also on the team from the area will be Kerrobert’s Carter Murphy, Plenty’s Kyle Turk and Chad Westman and from Rosetown, Josh Permantier.
Joining Snider as coaches on the sideline will be Myron Beswitherick of Kerrobert, Eldon Germann of Macklin, Trevor Wasilow of Balgonie and Bill Bramford of Rimbey, Alta., who coached his team to a provincial title in Alberta last season.
“We are very well represented from the area which is great to see,” said Snider.
Players were chosen by the coaching staff after watching an all-star game in Alberta and being a part of the North-South Senior Bowl held in Yorkton May 25-27.
“It was definitely a challenge for us this year to pick the team,” said Snider. “There were a lot of good players to choose from this year.”
The team will have a practice on that day, before starting two-a-day practises on July 4th, which is when the American team arrives.
Both teams will have two-a-day practices with activities in the evenings including fireworks on July 4, a pool night and a gym night. Friday Snider says that they hope to have former Riders Wes Cates and Andrew Greene in town for practice and an evening presentation in the park.
Game day is July 7 starting with the pre-game ceremonies scheduled for 4:30 p.m. followed by kick-off at 5:05 p.m.
Snider said that he learned a few things from coaching the team last year when they lost 67-49.
“Football-wise, I think we learned that we have to keep things simple and have a well executed plan,” he said. “The play book will be a lot thinner and we will focus more on the execution of the plays that we have.”
Snider has been a coach of the Rebels for the past 12 years, including the past 10 years as the head coach. Last year, the team made it to the provincial semifinals before losing out.
He said that it is great to see the local players thrive, such as Carter and Clay.
“We have qualified for the provincial playoffs every one of those 12 seasons,” he said. “The kids have been so dedicated and have worked so hard.
“It’s great to see Carter and Clay do well this year. They have so much energy and enthusiam and they have the dedication and drive to better themselves all of the time,” he added. “It’s been an absolute privilege to coach these guys.”
Snider also said that it was great to be a part of the senior bowl and see the kids from the area do well.
“It is so great to be a part of that,” he said. “It’s great to be around players that have that next level of passion for football and it’s great to see them excel at the next level.
Clay Mackinnon, who is finishing up his final high school year, has committed to play for the Regina Thunder next year of the Canadian Junior Football League and 2017 graduate, Colt Beswitherick, just recently signed with the Winnipeg Rifles, also of the CJFL.
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