A pair that teamed up with the Foothills Falcons is sitting on top of the world. Coach Bryan Brandford and linebacker Tyler Going were members of Team Canada, which stunned the world by winning the Junior World Championship when it downed host Mexico 13-7, in Mexico City last month. “It was a nail-biter and Mexico fought the whole way,” said Brandford, Team Canada’s linebacking coach, who coached Going at the Comp. “There were 30,000 people at the game – it was an emotional game. “Really what happened was Mexico ran out of time. They had the ball at the end.” Mexico was in Canada’s red zone at the red-and-white’s 20-yard line when time expired. One of the guys keeping the Mexicans out of the end zone was linebacker Tyler Going from DeWinton. “He is a talented young man,” Brandford said. “He made some great plays in the championship game. It was a pleasure to see him again.” Although Mexico in the summer sounds as appealing as sitting on top of a stove, the temperatures were a quite comfortable 27C or so. However, at about a mile-and-a-half up, it can take your breath away. “At first it certainly did,” Brandford said about the altitude. “But by the end of the second week, everyone is kind of acclimatized.” Mexico had shocked the United States in the semi-final to earn the right to play Canada. “Mexico was up 21-0 and the Americans were behind before they knew what hit them,” Brandford said. “Football is becoming huge down there – they are starting to play at six-and seven years old, and they have university football.” The tournament consisted of squads from Canada, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Sweden and the pigskin-mad United States. Team Canada opened the tournament by downing Sweden. They then narrowly defeated Japan to earn a spot in the final. Brandford, who is Wally Buono-like when it comes to coaching Alberta youth he has so much experience, got the call to coach the linebackers for Team Canada, under Carleton University Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah. As an educator, Brandford, the principal at Highwood High School and formerly held the position at Okotoks Junior High, wasn’t about to pass up the chance to learn from those coaching at the university ranks. “Working with Steve as the head coach, I learned a lot about getting a team ready for a tournament,” Brandford said. “I have coached at the Team Alberta level and I watched and learned from them. “These were university freshman and junior football kids, I learned about prepping kids like that for a tournament.” He also picked the brain of Jeff Cumnins, the head coach of the Acadia Axemen, who was the defensive co-ordinator for Team Canada. “I learned a lot of stuff from him about football and planning,” Brandford said. “It was a good experience for me.” Going is presently at camp with the Okanagan Sun in Kelowna and was unavailable for comment. He is one of approximately 12 players from Okotoks hoping to play junior football in sunny B.C. [email protected]
