Belsher Named Team Saskatchewan Offensive MVP After Dominating Team BC

Editor’s Note - the following is the first in a series of stories about the Moose Jaw players who made it onto the roster U16 Team Saskatchewan who competed at the 2023 U16 Football Canada Western Challenge, July 4-8 in Regina, SK.

By Robert Thomas

“It was a good feeling, but I have to give credit to my coaches for preparing us and having a good game plan,” Keaton Belsher said.

The 15 year old Belsher - heading off to grade 10 at Central Collegiate in September - excelled at the tournament going on to become the offensive MVP.

Belsher, who was the starter with the Cyclones in 2022, racked up some big numbers in the final against Team British Columbia.

Belsher would have nine receptions totalling 167 yards with two touchdowns in the final game. With his longest reception being 38 yards.

Keaton Belsher (left) was named Team Saskatchewan’s offensive player MVP - submitted photo

It was a game where the host team - Team Saskatchewan - dominated play defeating Team British Columbia 34 - 0.

“BC is one of the bigger teams. I played against outside the province, and it was pretty fun. It’s a good way to play against teams from across the country,” he said about the experience.

Asked about his stellar play in the final, and if he thought it was what he was expecting, Belsher said he was “ hoping for that strong result, but I didn’t think it was going to be that much.”

He said that this year he was more focussed on making the team than he was last year.

Additionally Belsher said it was great to have six other players from Moose Jaw make the team’s practice roster.

In 2022 he said “I wasn’t feeling it last year and didn’t make the team.”

“It felt good this year to have seven players from Moose Jaw go to Regina because last year there was only one other football player from Moose Jaw with me.”

The four players from Moose Jaw who made the U16 Team Saskatchewan roster are (from left to right) Dax Gibney, Kash Ferster, Keaton Belsher and Gabe Yasinski - submitted photo

Belsher said playing on the U16 Team Saskatchewan squad was just one step in his dream of one day playing football at a US college and then professionally.

He began playing football at age 5 through the Moose Jaw Minor Football league.

“I was just introduced to it at a really young age, and I just fell in love with it.”

For Belsher playing football, has helped to develop his character for the better. He went on to admit that getting better at football is one of his main goals in life.

“It has help me develop character and it has made me to work harder wherever I do things.”

Part of that hard work is also on the scholastic level where Belsher said he works hard on his studies because he needs higher marks in order to make his US college football dreams a reality.

“I have always got to get good grades and do well if I want to do well in the future with my dreams playing football at a college in the US,” he said.