Lancers football a breeding ground for the pros

by Shaun Garrity

What is it about the blue and yellow stitched jerseys that is constantly being recognized by the CFL?

With more than six players in 10 years furthering their careers after they depart the Windsor Lancers football program, this club’s work ethics is beginning to pay off.

In 2008, the team witnessed Daryl Stephenson,28, crush the field by being the first football player in CIS history to surpass 5,000 rushing yards. The ex-Lancer also was the only man to run for over 1,000 yards for three consecutive seasons. He would later be drafted in the CFL and is currently playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. That was almost 5 years ago and the organization is still producing talent left and right.

On Jan. 13, another ex-Lancer was in the media limelight, Daryl Townsend, 28, from Windsor, agreed to a new three-year deal with the Montreal Alouettes.

It was a tough road for Townsend to get where he. His dreams almost came to an end when he was cut from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a few years ago. Joe D’Amore ,Windsor Lancers head coach said Townsend spent a year training with the Lancers and tried out for the Montreal Allouttes the following year.

“A lot of guys in that situation would have gave up,” said D’Amore.

“He is a guy that works real hard, doesn’t really take for granted his opportunities.”

A Lancer from 1996-2000 coach D’ Amore knows what it takes to keep a tough regiment and a strict football program. This year should be a special year for the coach since the Lancers added three new faces, Terrance Crawford cousin of Townsend, Lucas Moore and Joe Latzko. The new additions may make this season memorable for the Lancers, coach D’Amore Terrance Crawford, Austin Kennedy and Dylan Whitfield are coming together for the first time since they won the Ontario Varsity Football League championship in 2010 for The Essex Ravens.

“To have them all together for one year at this level, we are pretty excited about that,” said D’Amore Crawford might have weight on his shoulders and big shoes to fill, being the brother of Tyrone Crawford, who has most recently signed to the Dallas Cowboys. The two play a very diverse style of football.

“He is lucky to have a brother like Tyrone that he can learn from and train with,” said D’Amore.

The success of the the Lancers does not stop, by the end of March wide receiver Evan Pszczonak, has been invited to the E-Camp, which is similar to the NFL Combine. They invite the top 40 players in the country to work out and train with the CFL organization.

Assistant coach Donnavan Carter, 38, said the success the Lancers has come from the United States being in arms reach and the locality of the team’s roster

“Our makeup is 60 per cent of local Windsor kids,” said Carter.

Windsor will open the 2014 season on the home field Sept. 1, when they go head to head against Queen’s Gaels in the Labour Day Classic.