Some Kamloops and Kelowna kids are in for the experience of a lifetime as they represent Canada at Snoop Dogg's youth football tournament in Los Angeles later this month.
Image Credit: YOUTUBE
December 04, 2019 - 3:30 PM
Some Kamloops and Kelowna kids are in for the experience of a lifetime as they represent Canada at Snoop Dogg's youth football tournament in Los Angeles later this month.
Traditionally, the teams participating in the Snoop Youth Football League National Championship, on this year from Dec. 12 to 15, are from the United States. But thanks to former B.C. Lion’s running back and president of the All Star Youth Sports organization Cory Philpot, Canadian youth now have an opportunity to play in a major American university stadium and they might even meet Snoop Dogg himself.
“It helps them to go down and play against some very, very talented athletes like themselves but it also boosts them up to want to be that NFL player or that CFL player or just being better at what they do in football. It makes them take football a little more seriously,” Philpot says. “They’ll be experiencing playing in really nice stadiums down in L.A. and there’s a possibility that we could be, if we’re in the championship, playing at one of the biggest university stadiums, so that’s a big excitement for the kids.”
Last year was the first time Canadian players were involved in the Snoop Youth Football League National Championships. This team of boys from B.C. participated in the 14U division.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Cory Philpot
About 80 boys from across the province were selected during the provincial tryouts. Eight from Kelowna and four from Kamloops help to make up the two teams, which will fly down to L.A. on Dec.12. There, the boys will have a busy schedule with three days of meetings, practices and games, and will compete against 32 teams.
“The kids that are going down to L.A., they will be meeting some of Snoop’s people. If you’ve ever seen the show Coach Snoop on Netflix, coach Mac will be representing the kids and talking to the kids, we'll be going to USC campus that Snoop has set it up,“ Philpot says. “Usually Snoop shows up for the championship, he walks around and meets the kids... We’re hoping that Snoop will be there and we can get some pictures with him.”
All Star Youth Sports was started four years ago by Philpot and his twin sons Tyson and Jaylen but this is only the second year of Canada’s involvement in the American tournament. Philpot was working to bring football to youth across North America, and one of his football friends took note and connected him with organizers from the Snoop Youth Football League.
Credit: YOUTUBE / Netflix
“A good friend of mine that is part of the NFL that played with me in the CFL saw what I was doing in Canada and decided to open that door for me. And so I was able to go meet up with the Snoop Foundation presidents, and they gave me the rights to the Snoop Football League in Canada.”
Only 35 boys went down for the championship last year, participating only in the under-14 category. This year, younger players are able to go and play in the under-12 category. Philpot says this opportunity often creates a serious passion for football and teaches the kids about playing football on a bigger scale.
“This year is our first time taking a 12U team down so it will be pretty exciting for the 12U boys to go down to L.A. and then their experience is going to be more overwhelming because of the meeting times, practice, games and playing in front of big crowds.”
Philpot hopes this year goes better than last when a smaller roster and high temperatures attributed to the team’s loss.
“We were playing and it was so hot. The kids from Canada couldn’t handle the heat and, and we lost by a touchdown to the Snoop team because some of the kids took themselves off the field,” Philpot says.
Andrea Veitch, the mother of one of the boys participating from Kamloops, says her son and the other boys are eager to participate in such a large tournament, and spend a few days after the tournament exploring L.A.
“They’re so excited they can’t believe that they actually made the team,” Veitch says. “They’re all great players… but they’re all extremely nervous.”
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