Belsher Wins First Ever Canadian Championship Medal

By Robert Thomas

The 2022 - 2023 football season has been a long one for Keaton Belsher.

A season that saw Belsher part of the champion U16 Team Saskatchewan in the western cup and then a few weeks later part of a Regina based all star team that won the U16 Male Canadian Flag Football championship.

A championship which saw him named the MVP in the final game.

But Belsher’s football season was not over as he was off to Nova Scotia as part of team Saskatchewan who won the Canadian Flag Football Championships.

“It was a great experience, playing flag football against all the best in the country,” Belsher said about his first ever trip to national football final.

Keaton BELSHER AFTER WINNING THE NATIONAL U16 FLAG FOOTBALL AS PART OF A REGINA BASED SASKATCHEWAN ALL STAR TEAM - SUBMITTED PHOTO

Belsher’s great experience in Nova Scotia went further as he scored three touchdowns - including the winning touchdown in the fourth overtime period - as Team Saskatchewan downed the host Team Nova Scotia 37 - 36 to claim the Canadian title.

“It feels really good. It’s my first Canadian championship and hopefully more to come,” he said.

For Belsher flag football - like tackle football - is a sport he has played from a young age. He started playing flag football at the age of five.

He played with the Giants in the approximately 350 player Moose Jaw Flag Football League before moving on to the Regina league where he is a member of the 49ers.

Belsher said he prefers playing in the Regina league because it’s 3,000 players makes for a more competitive and challenging league than in Moose Jaw.

“The Regina league is a competitive league and Moose Jaw is a rec(reaction) league,” he said, adding “I like Regina’s (league) more there’s better competition around.”

TEAM SASKATCHEWAN THE 2023 CANADIAN U16 MAKE FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS - SUBMITTED PHOTO

“Regina has a massive flag football league. There’s a lot more people.”

Belsher said there were differences between flag football and tackle football but at the same time a lot of similarities.

In flag football the equipment is light. All a player needs is a mouthpiece as well as a pair of cleats unlike tackle football where padding such as shoulder pads is worn as protection.

In flag football there is no body contact nor blocking so it is more of a game based upon passing and moving the ball.

Flags are pulled off of a belt to stop play versus where a player is tackled to end the play.

“It helps you understand where to be at the right place at the right time more than tackle football,” he said.

In flag football you have three downs to reach the center line and three plays to reach the end zone - albeit on a smaller field - or the ball is turned over.

“Flag football is a lot more fast paced.”

Belsher said flag football helps with tackle football by building stamina given the amount of running involved in the game. It also helps to some extent by catching the ball and running routes.

“There are set plays in flag football and you have to use your head as well,” he said.

Tackle Football Connection

For Belsher being part of Team Saskatchewan in flag football also means playing with many of his teammates who were part of the U15 Team Saskatchewan tackle football team.

“I know lots of them from tackle football in the Saskatchewan Selects.”

KEATON BELSHER - THIRD FROM THE LEFT - WAS ONE IF FOUR PLAYERS FROM MOOSE JAW WHO MADE THE U16 TEAM SASKATCHEWAN ROSTER. THE PLAYERS ARE (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) DAX GIBNEY, KASH FERSTER, KEATON BELSHER AND GABE YASINSKI - SUBMITTED PHOTO

“I’ve known some of the players since I was 10 years old and I know would others like to do,” he said about how it was easier to mesh with his Regina based teammates.

He was the only team member not from Regina.

Belsher said the toughest part playing in Nova Scotia was the three hour time difference from Moose Jaw.

“The hardest part about it was adjusting to the time change. It was difficult adjusting to their time. It was hard because I was constantly tired all of the time… in the end, I decided I would try to go to bed and go around on Moose Jaw time.”

Belsher said he plans to continue with flag football and hopes to become part of the U18 provincial squad.

But before that the 15-year-old grade 10 Central Collegiate student has another season with the Cyclones building towards his dream of somebody, making it into professional football.