Joey Palagian, a Grade 11 student at Canora Composite School, learned on May 23 that he has made the starting roster for the U18 Team Sask football team.
Al Palagian, Joey’s dad, said tryouts began at Mosaic Stadium in Regina in mid-May.
“Some 200 kids tried out initially,” said Al. “Joey then was asked back for three days during the Victoria Day long weekend which was referred to as ‘the top 100.’ Those 100 kids were invited back to see if they made the main team, the practice roster, or the futures team. Joey, as well as Hayden Russell, a Yorkton teammate, made the starting lineup.”
The younger Palagian began playing football in Yorkton under the Yorkton minor football program approximately seven years ago. He was mentored primarily by coach Ryan Effa as well as coach Jason Boyda of the Yorkton Raiders football team. He is currently playing for the Raiders in spring football.
“Joey has been a linebacker his whole football career but is used as an offensive lineman when injuries happen there,” shared Al. “There have been many games where he doesn't leave the field during offense/defense changes.”
In running the tryouts, the coaches used recorded data from an open U18 football combine held in Saskatoon about a month ago to set benchmarks in areas such as: 40-yard dash, 20-yard dash, bench press, and specific drill timed events.
“Then at Mosaic over the two weekends of the tryouts they put the kids in increasingly complex new plays to learn in two reps or less to test their football IQ as well as reaction to stress and their coachability. Joey said on the way home it was a good experience but did not think he made the team. I disagreed but I'm dad...”
The Palagian family was informed by an email from Football Sask confirming that he had made the team. The notification included an itinerary of practice dates culminating with a couple of weeks in Kelowna B.C. beginning July 4. The practises are in preparation for the Canada Cup, to be held in Kelowna.
According the footballcanada.com website, “The Canada Cup is Football Canada's national tackle football championship. It brings together provincial teams in the U-18 age category from across Canada to determine national football supremacy and has springboarded many U SPORTS, NCAA, national team and professional careers.”
Team Saskatchewan, the top seed and defending champion, plays its first game on July 11 against Nova Scotia, the eighth seed. The championship game is set for July 17.
Palagian said they have been treated very well by everyone associated with the tryouts.
“After a Saturday practice, we were invited to the Regina Thunder clubhouse, a team in the Canadian Junior Football League. Along with five other boys, we were give a tour of their facilities and a recruitment presentation by their coaching staff.”
