This page was exported from King Weekly Sentinel [ https://kingsentinel.com ] Export date:Sat Apr 27 22:39:15 2024 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: Villanova coaches picked to join national football team --------------------------------------------------- By Jeff Doner Two of Villanova College's coaches have earned the honour of being selected to coach Team Canada's U19 National football team. Long-time friends and colleagues Samir Chahine and Marcello Lio will both be heading to Milan, Italy this summer for camp and then to Kuwait for the World Championships. Lio was announced as the team's quarterback coach back in January 2013, but Chahine was just recently announced to head the offensive line after previous coach Chris Bertoia had to step aside. “When I did get the call I was very excited and very happy,” Lio said. “It felt like a very big accomplishment and I was excited about what the future held for me at the time as far as what happens next … more importantly it was an opportunity to work with a number of high quality athletes looking to represent their country, play with passion and win another gold.” Chahine said he was also thrilled about the news, despite it coming much later than Lio's. “I was kind of surprised and very happy,” he said. “I get to coach with coach Lio and we get to go together again overseas as we did back in 2006.” Chahine, originally born in Lebanon, started playing football in Flint, Michigan before his family moved to Toronto in 1989. From 1998 to 2005, he enjoyed a successful career playing in the Canadian Football League spending time with the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Renegades. Upon his retirement from the CFL in 2005, he joined the coaching staff at Villanova College. “I've always been in football and now I've got to give back,” he said. “I was always known as a football player and now I have to take what's in my hands and use it instead of keeping it.” Coach Lio also has an extensive background in the sport as both a player and coach of the quarterback position. Like Chahine, Lio has coached at all levels (high school, university and professional) and is now excited about adding the national experience. He played as quarterback at York University and played professionally in Germany and Italy after graduation. In 2002, he was brought in by Villanova College to start the school's football program and has been head coach since 2003. For nearly a decade he has helped many players at Villanova and all over learn the quarterback position. “I'm very excited for Villanova,” he said. “As a young school, to have the school name attached to our names in this role, at this level and at this capacity, definitely made me excited for the school.” But the two expressed excitement at the prospect of coaching together on the world stage and both know it's a rarity for two coaches from the same school to be able to coach together on a national team. “When I was selected and (Chachine) wasn't it was a bit of a downer,” Lio explained. “I'm not sure who was more excited when the news came out that he would be joining the staff. I was so excited I couldn't sleep, because we've had the opportunity to coach together for many years now and know each other very well, but at the same time his expertise is going to be unbelievable for our staff and for those kids. I just think it's going to be an unbelievable experience.” Chahine agreed: “Coach Lio and I know each other's language. We've been around each other for a long time,” he said. “Coach Lio is the best quarterback coach in the province of Ontario and probably in Canada right now. He was selected at the top, so that says a lot about his coaching ability and the kind of reputation he has built. To have two from the same school is just the icing on the cake.” With camp in June rapidly approaching, the two will soon get to work with the rest of the Football Canada coaching staff in a bid to win another gold medal like back in 2012 in Texas. After plenty of camps, friendly's and deliberation, this spring Football Canada announced the 45-man roster for the international tournament. “Any chance to be able to represent Canada is something that any Canadian would be proud of,” Chahine said. “We're going to be proud to represent Canada in this tournament.” --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Two of Villanova College’s coaches have earned the honour of being selected to coach Team Canada’s U19 National football team. --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2014-05-14 09:22:58 Post date GMT: 2014-05-14 13:22:58 Post modified date: 2014-06-24 15:11:17 Post modified date GMT: 2014-06-24 19:11:17 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com