2009 IFAF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
COACHING STAFF BIOS GLEN CONSTANTIN (HEAD COACH) Constantin was a physical education graduate from the University of Ottawa in 1990. While with the Gee-Gees, Constantin played linebacker and lineman. His first CIS assistant coaching experience was with the Bishop’s University Gaiters, working with linebackers and the defensive line for four years. He helped build the best defensive unit in Canada for two consecutive seasons. After a short time as an assistant coach in the NCAA, Constantin was hired as defensive coordinator with the Laval Rouge & Or in 1996. He then took over head coach position in December 2000. He has since experienced much success, leading his side to Vanier Cup victories in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He has led his team to three perfect 8-0 seasons during his tenure. Since 2004 Laval only has lost one regular season game. Furthermore, Constantin was awarded the Frank Tindall Trophy in 2005 as CIS Coach of the Year. In his eight years leading the Rouge & Or, Glen Constantin has accumulated a record of 51-13 in regular season and 19-6 in playoff action. Laval has won 51 of its last 56 regular season games under his leadership. Prior to becoming the head coach for the Canadian junior national team, Constantin was the defensive coordinator for five years under Dany Maciocia that lead Canada to 2 gold medal finishes and 3 silver medal finishes during that time frame. In his first year as head coach, Glen Constantin won the NFL Global Junior Championship in Miami in 2007. In his second year as head coach, Glen Constantin is leading the #1 ranked Canadian junior national team into inaugural IFAF Junior World Championships. |
GREG MARSHALL (OFFENSIVE LINE)
Greg Marshall is the current head coach of the Western Mustangs and a former Mustang player who played for four seasons. Marshall also was a Grey Cup winning running back and CFL head coach. While with the Mustangs, he won the Hec Crighton Award as the top player in Canadian university football in 1980. The Guelph native was also a two-time OUA all-star and selected as a two-time All-Canadian. After his playing career, Marshall was an assistant coach at Western from 1984 to 1997, becoming the school's offensive coordinator in 1992 and helping the team win two Vanier Cups. In 1997, Marshall became head coach at McMaster and in only his second year he led the team to their first playoff appearance in twelve seasons. In 2000, McMaster won their first Yates Cup and Marshall was named the CIS Coach of the Year. From 2000 to 2003, under Marshal, the Marauders won a record-tying four consecutive Yates Cups and during his seven year tenure, he compiled an overall record of 42-12-2 (76.8%). In 2006, Marshall succeeded Larry Haylor was named head coach of the Western Mustangs. He has gone 16-8 since joining the Mustangs. After losing the Mitchell Bowl in 2007 he has led his team to in the 2008 Mitchell Bowl and took part in this year’s 2008 Desjardins Vanier Cup. Greg Marshall will once again be overseeing the offensive line for the Canadian junior national teams. Marshall was among the coaching staff that brought home gold in the NFL Global Championships. |
BLAKE NILL (LINE BACKERS)
Seen as one of the most successful coaches in the history of Canadian University Football, Blake Nill is a native of Hanna, Alberta. Nill has 22 years football experience as a university and professional athlete as well as other various coaching positions. Nill played Defensive line for the University of Calgary Dinos from 1980 to1982 and then turned professional in 1983 with Montreal. He started his coaching career in 1992 as the Defensive Coordinator for St. Francis Xavier and joined St. Mary’s in 1998. Nill has been the head coach of the University of Calgary for the last 3 seasons. Before coming to the Dino’s, Nil coached the Saint Mary’s University Huskies to two Vanier Cup championships (2001, 2002) and two other appearances at the final game. There, he had an amazing regular season record of 49 wins and 15 losses (77%) and post-season record of 12 wins and five losses (71%). Nill coached the Huskies to six Atlantic University Sport Championships (1999-2004) setting an AUS Conference record for consecutive championships. Under Nill, they also won the Uteck Bowl (2003), Churchill Bowl (2002) and Atlantic Bowl (1999 and 2001). Including his time with Calgary, he has a record of 74-35 in regular season and playoffs. Nill won the Frank Tindall Award as CIS Coach of the Year in 1999 and was a Finalist three other years. Blake Nill bring his experience from participating in the winning NFL Global Junior Championship team in 2007 to the line backer that will be heading to Canton, OH for the IFAF Junior World Championships. |
JUSTIN ETHIER (OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR)
As offensive coordinator for the University Laval, Justin Ethier has been at the helm of the Rouge et Or offensive since 2001 and has won four CIS Vanier Cups (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008). His reputation for detailed preparation and attention to detail helped the team to three perfect 8-0 seasons and five Dunsmore Cups in a row. He joined the Rouge et Or in 1997 and took over as the special teams coordinator from 1998 to 2000. During his tenure coaching at the university level, Justin has seen many players reach the professional level. Under his guidance, University Laval has its first player, QB Benoit Groulx, awarded with the Hec Crighton Trophy, as outstanding player in the CIS, since the program’s inception in 1996. Before joining the Rouge et Or, Justin coached at the collegiate level in Quebec with the Trappers Cégep Marie-Victorin and the Spartans Cégep du Vieux Montreal. The Spartans won the Championship Bol d’Or in 1996, Justin’s only season as offensive coordinator with the team. Justin Ethier will be leading the offensive charge for the second time for the Canadian junior national team. He was also among the coaching staff that brought home gold at the NFL Global Junior Championships in Miami in 2007. |
STEFAN PTASZEK (RECEIVERS)
Stefan Ptaszek, born in Burlington, Ontario, has been the head coach of the McMaster University Marauders for the last three seasons. Before coaching, he played University Football at Wilfrid Laurier from 1990-1994. Leading his team to the Vanier Cup Championship in the 1991, he finished his career there as a three-time All-Canadian. In 1999, he was inducted into the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame and still holds the Wilfred Laurier record for Career Yardage and Receptions. After being drafted in the first round, Stefan went on to play professional football with the BC Lions, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. His other coaching experiences include Co-offensive Coordinator at the University of British Columbia, Receivers Coach at Wilfred Laurier University, winning the Vanier Cup in 2005, Offensive Co-coordinator at Southwood Secondary School (Cambridge, ON), and an Assistant Coach with the Burlington Nelson Lords (1995-96), who captured a Waterloo County Titles in 1995-96 and 1997-98. At McMaster, he has coached the Marauders to a respectable 15-12 regular season and playoff record since joining the coaching staff. After winning gold at the NFL Global Junior Championships in 2007, Stefan Ptaszek will be returning as the receivers coach for the Canadian junior national team heading to the IFAF World Junior Championships in Canton, OH. |
WARREN CRANEY (DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR)
Warren Craney, from Chateauguay, Quebec, has been with the Concordia Stingers for eight seasons and the defensive coordinator for five. In playing career, Craney was in the Châteauguay Raiders system and played as a free safety with the Raiders' QJFL team. Before joining the Stingers, Craney was the defensive line coach with Collège Vanier for 3 seasons. He also worked with the Cougars de St-Léonard and the his Junior team, Châteauguay. At the CIS level, he has coached all three defensive units at Concordia, and is widely respected for his work with linebackers. A tribute to Craney’s hard work, Mickey Donovan (2004) and Patrick Donovan (2005) earned the President's Trophy as the outstanding defensive player of the CIS. Also under Craney's teaching, Concordia defensive end Troy Cuningham was named the outstanding lineman in the country in 2004. To perfect his knowledge of the game, Craney has attended the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts training camps and has taken the opportunity to learn more as a guest coach at the University of Nebraska and University of Michigan football schools. After gaining much international experience at the NFL Global Junior Championships, where the Canadian national team brought home gold, Warren Craney will be leading the defensive charge as the defensive coordinator. |
MARCO IDELUCA (RUNNING BACKS)
Marco is young and talented coach who brings almost 20 years of coaching experience from the St.Leonard Cougars of the Canadian Junior Football League. Since 2000, he has lead his team to six conference titles and two national finals. In 2008, the Cougars finished on top of the Ontario division in which they play with a record of 6-2. Marc Ideluca is entering his seventh year of involvement with the Canadian junior national team. The running backs from this year’s team will benefit from Marco’s 3 gold medals and 3 silver medals at the NFL Global Junior Championships between 2002 to 2007. |
JEFF CUMMINS (DEFENSIVE LINE)
Cummins captured his second AUS Football Championship in a row in 2006 with a 32-24 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies. In 2005, the Axemen were crowned AUS Champions with a 69-6 win over St. F.X. Jeff was named the 2005 Atlantic University Sport Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. The Award, voted on by his peers, honours the AUS Football Coach whose efforts had an impact on his team and the AUS Football Conference. As head coach of the Axemen for the last five seasons, Jeff has accumulated 26 wins and 21 losses including the post season. As a defensive end and tackle, Cummins played in the Canadian Football League on various teams including: Las Vegas, Ottawa, Toronto and finishing on the 1999 Grey Cup Champions Hamilton Tiger Cats, following his graduation from the University of Oregon in 1992. |
MICKEY DONOVAN (SPECIAL TEAMS) Donovan, a two-time CIS All-Canadian and former national defensive player of the year. He was invited to the try out for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when a devastating injury cut his career short. Donovan's expertise has helped the Mustangs defense to develop into one of best in the country. Donovan is from Laconia, New Hampshire, and is a former coach with New Hampshire State (Division 1-AA) and is a former linebacker who played at the University of Maine and at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. He was Canadian Interuniversity Sport's top defender in 2004. |
KYLE WALTERS (DEFENSIVE BACKS)
Kyle Walters will enter his fourth season as the Head Football Coach at the University of Guelph, after being appointed in February 2006. He’s posted an 10-13-1 regular season record. In 2007 he led the Gryphons to one of the most successful seasons in recent history finishing 4-4, marking the second .500 season in ten years and hosting the 100 Yates Cup, their first Yates appearance since 1996. Walters, a native of St. Thomas, Ontario served as the Gryphons full-time Assistant Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator from 2004-2005. Prior to his tenure at Guelph, Walters spent the 2003 season as the Assistant Special Team’s Coach of the Hamilton Tiger Cats. No stranger to the University of Guelph, Walters played five seasons for the Gryphons from 1992-1996. In 1992, he came to the University of Guelph as a running back. However, a torn ACL and broken collar bone led him to change positions to defensive back. In his rookie season, the Gryphons captured the Yates Cup. In 1995, Walters played free safety and was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the 2nd round (10th overall) but returned to Guelph for his 5th and final season. That year, he captained the Gryphons to the 1996 Yates Cup and in 1997 graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He was a two-time OUA All-Star and All-Canadian (1995, 1996). After graduation, Walters went on to play for the Tiger Cats. During his stint with Hamilton, Kyle played safety and halfback in the 1997 and 1998 Grey Cup. In the 2002-03 campaign, he was the special team’s captain. He led the team in special team tackles for three years. |