Jimmy Mouhteros (No. 8) is pictured here with three teammates from Team Quebec, winners of the 2007 U-17 Canada Cup of Football, held recently in Sherbrooke. Jimmy was instrumental in Team Quebec's success, scoring a last-minute touchdown to beat Southern Alberta 30-24 and snaring three passes for 61 yards in a 34-14 championship game win over two-time defending champion Manitoba. The other members of Team Quebec in the picture are, left to right: Alexander Piché, Byron Perez-Archambeault, and Pascal Lochand
(Photo: Courtesy of Tom Mouhteros)
Photo: Jimmy
"Helping Team Quebec win U-17 Canada Cup of Football was one of the best experiences of my life"
Says Jimmy Mouhteros, of Laval Liberty High School
Editor's note: The following is a report written by Jimmy Mouhteros of Chomedey. In it he recounts his experiences at the 2007 U-17 Canada Cup of Football, as a member of Team Quebec. Jimmy, who'll be entering his senior year at Laval Liberty High School this coming September, has distinguished himself both in the classroom and on the football field in the past two years. We publish his impressions to illustrate the significant contributions that he and other Laval young people are making to the community.
Answering the call
It all started when my Panthers coach at Laval Liberty High School, Mr. Steve Alexandre told me about the U-17 Canada Cup of Football and asked me if I wanted to try out for Team Quebec. I gave it a lot of thought at first, but even though I had some reservations about meeting the challenge, I decided to go because it would be a good learning experience just to even try out.
The tryouts were at Concordia University. About 200 players from all over Quebec showed up. It was amazing to be with these guys who share my passion for football. The coaches were to select 50 players to bring to Sherbrooke as part of Team Quebec. I was a little nervous because I wanted to make the team but at the same time I had still learned a lot in two days of tryouts so I would not have been too disappointed at not making it.
Two days later, I checked the website where they said the final roster would be posted. I started hopping around when I saw my name. A week later I packed my stuff and my dad drove me to Sherbrooke.
I only realized how big this tournament was when I saw a huge billboard advertising the Canada Cup. Our first practice, I learned, would take place the next day.
Making the team
The first week was pretty intense because they had to cut the roster to forty players, which meant ten more players would be let loose. This came as a bit of a surprise because we all thought we had made the team but it turned out we still had to fight to make it. We had daily practices lasting four hours. We woke up 8 am, ate breakfast, and had practice or a meeting at 9:00 am. When we had meetings at nine, it meant we had practice at 2:00 pm.
The cuts came the first Friday. The coaches spoke to each player individually, explaining what needed improvement, what they liked about you and finally, if you had made the team or not. I don't get intimidated very easily, but at that moment, in a conference room surrounded by all the coaches, I was scared.
Since I didn't get cut, I was extremely happy but a couple of guys I got really close to did not make the team so I was a little upset. That Saturday we moved from Université de Sherbrooke to Bishop's University and that last week before the competition, the team members got really close to one another. I made a lot of friends from all over the place, Sherbrooke, Quebec City even guys from Laval that I had no idea lived here!
From the jaws of defeat
Finally our first game! We were all so excited to get out there to get into the heat of the action. We played Southern Alberta and by looking at us and them, we looked like the better team.
But by halftime, we were losing 24-9, and some guys started to have doubts. We all told each other that we were a bunch of guys from different parts of Quebec, some of us having even played against each other, but on that day, we were a team and we had to work together to overcome this deficit.
The idea worked. The second half was totally different, we rallied and with a minute left, with the score at 24-24, I told myself I had to step up. Getting the ball on the 25 yard-line, I started running, but seeing no daylight ahead, I headed right, crossed the entire field and dove for the corner of the end zone. We won the game 30-24. It was an amazing feeling, there were so many people in the stands cheering and going crazy. It was an unforgettable moment.
Three days later in our second game, against Western Ontario, we faced quite a challenge because in football, playing with only three days rest between games,is tough to do. We were leading 12-6, but on what turned out to be the last play of the game, they went for a deep pass into the corner of our end zone and for those 5 seconds, I think my heart stopped. Once the ball hit the ground, my heart started beating again and we celebrated because we were headed to the finals.
Preparing for the finals, I felt like a pro. I got a tracksuit, Reebok cleats, shirts, shorts everything for free. But we told ourselves all of the free stuff is nice, but we still had a big game to win and it was against two-time defending champion Manitoba.
And the winner is …
Before the game, head coach David Lessard didn't need to give a pep talk. All he told us was: "Everything has been said, just go out and do what you came here to do!" And that's we did. The score was 31-0 for us at halftime and the final score was 34-14.
When the game ended, there were congratulations and hugs all around. But the hugs weren't your everyday hugs that your mom gives you, (sorry mom, nothing personal, you give great hugs!), they were a little stronger, a little tighter, because some of us knew that we would probably never see each other again.
Winning the Canada Cup was something I will always cherish because I was playing at such a high level with guys I had never met before and we still managed to win the biggest national championship of my age division. The memories of the time I shared with the 39 guys during those two weeks will be engraved in my mind, heart, and soul for as long as I live.
I can honestly say playing for Team Quebec for the U-17 Canada Cup, and staying for two weeks with a bunch of strangers with whom I became friends, was one of the best experiences of my life.
Photo: Jim
(Photo: Courtesy of Tom Mouhteros)
Photo: Jimmy
(Photo: Courtesy of Tom Mouhteros)
Météo: Laval, 8 août 2008 / 20°C
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