Canada is looking to defend its world junior soccer crown in Edmonton

Warren Craney has a lot going for him at the 2024 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Junior Championship.

The global event kicks off in Edmonton on Thursday after a six-year absence. Plans to hold the tournament in 2020 and 2021 have been canceled due to the global pandemic.

Craney will serve as Canada 1’s head coach with the goal of winning the country a third straight tournament title.

He is the tournament’s most decorated coach with four medals (gold in ’12 as defensive coordinator and ’16 as head coach; silver in ’09 as defensive coordinator and ’14 as head coach).

“This program means everything to me,” Craney said. “I have a real passion for my country and what Football Canada is doing for the sport here.

“And to be part of a real world championship is amazing.”

Craney, from Montreal, was also the head coach at York University (2010-22) after a stint as Concordia’s defensive line coach/defensive coordinator.

While many of Craney’s most cherished tour memories involve winning, he also enjoyed the opportunities to immerse himself in different cultures.

“Winning in 2016 in Harbin after spending 27 days in China, talk about a team bonding experience,” Craney said. “Having that gold medal in midfield in China, I have a picture hanging over my office at home because I didn’t know anything about Harbin before and then you walk in and it’s a city of 25 million people.

“In 2014, in Kuwait, it was so hot that we had to practice at midnight. Another shot I have is we’re out (on the training ground) and it’s midnight, its Ramadan and a temple in the background is lit up, which was surreal. These memories that the program gave me are just in my DNA.”

Canada will have two teams in the tournament. Former McGill head coach Ron Hilaire leads Canada 2.

The United States, Austria, Australia, Japan, Panama and Brazil will also participate.

Canada 2 opens the tournament against Austria on Thursday, with Canada 1 playing Brazil later. If both Canadian teams win, they will meet on June 26, with the winner advancing to the final on June 30, while the loser will play for bronze that day.

Both Canadian teams face pressure to perform well on home soil.

“There absolutely is,” Craney said. “We try to calm (the players), but they feel it.

“I tell them, ‘This experience is your suitcase for life.’ I will argue with anyone that football is the only (sport) that emulates life.”

Canada has dominated this event, winning medals in all five previous competitions – three gold (2012, 2016, 2018), two silver (2009, 2014). The Canadians and USA have met in four championship games, the only exception being ’18, when Canada defeated Mexico 13-7 in front of a record 35,000 in Mexico City.

Craney assumed the head coaching duties at St. Mary’s Steve Sumarah, who led Canada to gold in 2018. Craney was to be the team’s special teams coordinator in ’24 before taking the top job.

Craney’s tournament experience is valuable given that the world event is playing American football. Craney has also had the benefit of working with some of the best Canadian college football coaches along the way.

“My first experience, I got a call from (Laval head coach) Glen Constantin that he was the head coach of Team Canada and he wanted me to be the defensive coordinator,” Craney said. “Here I was this young coach at Concordia and at the first staff meeting, the linebackers coach was Blake Nill (currently the UBC head coach), the linebackers coach was Kyle Walters (GM, Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and the defensive line coach was Jeff Cummins (former CFL player, Acadia head coach).

“I’m where I am now because of those guys, because they let me do what I needed to do and if they thought I was coming back, they’d pull me aside and have a private conversation. That experience shaped my life. “

A huge challenge for Canada to win its third straight title will be the need to win three games in 10 days. So Craney’s players have a hydration plan while extensive stretching and therapy programs have been put in place.

“We have a really good strength coach and a great therapy staff, so obviously they listen to them,” Craney said. “If they catch (players) anywhere on campus without a water bottle in hand, the consequences are dire because we’ve put a big emphasis on hydration.

“Apart from science, we are also smart because we don’t have to deal with practice. We did that in team selection, but we’re just practicing with headphones now, and I predict we’ll be doing that the rest of the way. because the teams in the gold medal game will likely be the healthiest.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 18, 2024.

Dan Ralph, Canadian Press