A local football player has been selected to represent Team Alberta at the International Bowl in Arlington, Texas this February.
Cold Lake Royals strong safety Daniel Delorme-Crevier, who was a rookie on the local high school squad this past fall, is one of 38 players that have been named to the squad.
“I am really excited,” said Delorme-Crevier. “I am just hoping that I can try my best, play my best and hopefully my team will try their best, play their best and we can go down there and win a game.”
In May of 2015 Delorme-Crevier was one of several Royals players to suit up for the Northern Alberta squad in the annual Bantam Bowl in Lethbridge.
The game served as a try-out for the U16 International Bowl roster, and due to his performance with the Northern team he was selected to the Alberta team that will travel south and take on Team USA.
“I was a little surprised (on being selected) because I didn't have the best game,” said Delorme-Crevier. “But the coaches said I practices hard and they like the way I played in practice.”
During his three seasons of bantam football and first season of high school football Delorme-Crevier played positions on both offence and defence. He feels he is more of an impact on defence and will be lining up at strong safety for Team Alberta.
“He is very competitive, probably one of the more competitive players I have coached in bantam or high school football,” said Cold Lake Royals head coach Kelly Johnson. “The No. 1 thing that keeps him going is that he doesn't want to lose at anything.”
While he plays for the Royals, Delorme-Crevier resides on the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, a community 117 kilometres south of Cold Lake.
Of the 38 players on the Team Alberta roster he is the only player who comes from a community north of Edmonton.
He will be spending a week in Texas practicing with his team before the game, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Feb. 3.
“I am really excited (to play in that stadium). The Dallas Cowboys play there,” said Delorme-Crevier.
The 80,000-seat stadium features a jumbotron that stretches from 20-yard line to 20-yard line. It plays host to a variety of international and national high school football games every year.
Delorme-Crevier hopes the opportunity to play on an international stage in a football hotbed like Texas will forward his football career.
“I really want to play at the next level. It is one of my goals. It would be huge for me,” said Delorme-Crevier.
