Local Badgers win bronze medal

By Mario Prusina, Times Editor

Three members of the Strathmore Badgers bantam football team represented Team Alberta at the U16 Western Challenge July 15-18 in Kamloops, B.C.
Locals Jack Warrack, Bennett Salmon and Brady Johansen were part of Alberta’s bronze medal championship team, whose journey began on July 11 in Red Deer for mini-camp. The team boarded a bus for Kamloops on July 13, ahead of their first game on July 15.
Alberta started off slow and couldn’t recover, en route to a 26-21 loss to B.C. The wild rose province responded with a 69-0 hammering of Manitoba in the bronze medal game on July 18.
“It was an honour to be selected to play on Team Alberta,” said Johansen. “It was great playing with and against guys that play at such a competitive level.
“I wasn’t very nervous. I knew if I played as hard as I could I’d be fine. Our team was well prepared, and we are at that level where everyone knew how they were supposed to execute. It was the best players in Western Canada, so it was tough competition. It was challenging because all of the players are so good.”
Despite winning the bronze, Johansen and the team were looking for more.
“I felt mixed emotions,” he added. “We should have beat B.C. and been in the gold medal game but we proved we could play at a high level and winning the bronze still felt pretty good. (However) the coaches and my teammates taught me so much. I’ll definitely be a better player because of this experience.
“I learned a lot, made new friends and had a great week. Working with these coaches and playing with my teammates was a great opportunity for me. I hope to play on Team Alberta again next year.”
According to Warrack, who kept his nerves in check, the experience was a lot of fun and it was interesting to see the talent level of the other provinces involved.
“I definitely was nervous, but not to an extreme point,” said Warrack. “I felt really confident about how we would do in the game and I just felt really good and trusted the coaching that we had been receiving to get us through.
“The competition was super tough. Everyone who was there was there because they are a great player and deserved to be there. It made the compete level extremely high for everyone.”
Warrack said taking home a bronze medal felt good, but the experience was invaluable.
“Even though I think we could’ve had a great matchup in the gold medal game, bronze is a still a huge accomplishment,” he noted. “Playing in this tournament will definitely help me improve as a player. Competing at such a high level really showed me how good some other players are and really made me realize how much the little things matter in a skill set. Also, the level of coaching taught me a lot as well.”
According to Salmon, it was a new experience that he will remember.
“It was really cool being selected for Team Alberta and participate in the Western challenge,” said Salmon. “It was something new that I’d never done before. Before each game I was a little nervous but when the game started it just felt like a normal game.
“The competition was good. All the players I practiced against and played against were good and deserved to be there. Along the way I pick up a few new strategies, so I think this tournament made me a better player.
“It was really cool being part of Team Alberta and I think that being on this team and working with these coaches has really help me develop more as a player, on the field and off.”
With the new season around the corner, Warrack and Salmon have moved on to the Strathmore Spartans high school football team as first-year players. Johansen is gearing up for his second and final year with the Strathmore Badgers bantam team.