Gibney Says Team Sask Experience Was One Of Teamwork
Editor’s Note - the following is the third 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
For 15 year-old Dax Gibney being part of the U16 Team Saskatchewan squad this past weekend is just one of the steppingstones in his football journey.
A journey that started in 2015 when he joined a Learn To Play league offered by Moose Jaw Minor Football.
For Gibney, as he heads into grade 10 at Peacock Collegiate in September, the mantra that hockey is life has easily been replaced with the mantra Football is life…
“It was an unreal experience due to the fact not many kids get into it,” he said about being part of the U16 Team Saskatchewan roster.
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
Gibney, who as a grade nine student was the starter with the Peacock Tornadoes, said one of the biggest challenges Team Saskatchewan had was combining varied talents and gelling together as a team in short order.
“You can’t play football, if you’re not working together as a full team,” he said, going on to explain that every player has different abilities, which have to be meshed together.
“You have to do your job (as an individual player)… you can’t win without teamwork.”
Gibney said the different talents on the defense versus other teams he has been part of made for adjustments to complement those skills.
“You have to readjust playing with different guys…you have to adapt to what your team is strong in.”
They need to adapt showed itself on the field he said
“We had a very rocky first half in the game against Manitoba it was definitely just part of finding our groove.”
In the game against Manitoba, the final score was Team Saskatchewan 49 and Team Manitoba 21.
In the final game Team Saskatchewan had an easy time with Team BC winning their third straight title 34 - 0.
For Gibney last weekend was one of his biggest football experiences so far.
Although he has not been provided with statistics in the Manitoba game, he said he made two or three tackles playing defensive back.
The gold medal he received as part of Team Saskatchewan is now displayed amongst other football medals and jerseys he has saved.
Gibney was not always a football player only but also played hockey which he has now given up.
“Hockey wasn’t quite doing it,” he said when asked why he quit playing Canada’s national sport.
“Hockey for me was never that fulfilling, football has more soul, drive and it’s more of a mental game than hockey.”
His involvement in the learn to play league operated by Moose Jaw Minor Football was a key factor in his love for the game.
“It was very key. It’s what started it all my love for the game only grew stronger.”
Being a grade 9 starter last season with the Tornadoes Gibney admitted was both exciting and terrifying at the same time being up against often more experienced and more physically, stronger veteran players.
For Gibney the greatest thing football has taught him is teamwork.
“You can’t always rely on yourself you often need help from others,” is a lesson he has learned from playing football.
He has dreams of doing his best and allowing football to take them as far as it can.
“I don’t know whether I’ll be playing pro, playing in college or just playing throughout my high school years but I want to play football as far as it will take me,” he said.