All in the Family

The Concordia Stingers Football Team Is Hard at Work Adding to Their Roster

SportsVince Morello — Published February 3, 2015 | Updated February 3, 2015 at 5:26am

The Stingers coaching staff is well into their recruiting season, finding and attracting talent for Concordia, or “The Family,” according to assistant head coach Patrick Donovan.

Since the end of the season, the Stingers have brought in 28 players, including U18 Team Canada running back Myles Browne and CEGEP all-star slotback Yanic Lessard.

Coaches have been attending training camps in Canada and the United States, seeking out future Stingers who fit the mould to bring to the hive.

“For me, the most important thing that we preach and how I was brought up, is preaching about family and love,” Donovan said. “We want to bring kids in who will believe in us, who will also believe in them. They will come in, be part of the family and not separate from, or not separate the other players.

“Every kid that I’ve recruited wherever I was, they come because they truly know I do care about them,” Donovan continued. “I want to make sure they do well and they succeed in everything they want to do in life.”

The concept of family and belief in one another has appealed to Browne and Lessard, two highly sought-after recruits who have committed to the Maroon and Gold for the upcoming 2015 season.

“I felt like there was a great chance of brotherhood,” Lessard said. “When the coaches talk about the players and everything, they seem to really take care of them and I see a family at Concordia.”

“[The Stingers] cared a lot for me the second I was there,” Browne said. “I met every single coach [and] they introduced me to every single player. It was really nice to see and I can tell that everyone there is friendly and like I said, it’s like a family.”

Education also plays a factor for the players as well, especially for recruits who have many options on their plate.

“I wasn’t looking to study in French,” said Lessard. “I want to study in English. It’s way easier for me to study in English.”

After going 5-3 this past season, the Stingers are still rebuilding from their winless campaign in 2013, which has helped to entice players into suiting up at Concordia.

“I did that when I was in high school,” said Lessard when asked about being part of a rebuilding program. “We were an underdog program and we built something good, so I’m really pumped to play for Concordia and to change the mentality the RSEQ has on
Concordia.”

“They’re in a really good rebuilding process and I want to be part of it,” Browne said. “They have the right mindset, so I want to be in a program that’s trying to build something, instead of something already built.”

The coaching staff and players know it’s going to be a process, but for the most part are excited and optimistic for the upcoming season.

“We’re young blood,” said Donovan. “We know we can win here.

“As a whole, a university, a sports complex, we’re all a family and everyone is all on board. We all work together.”