Five Squamish football players have proved they are at the top of their game.
Craig Constantin, Derrick Zeleniski, Danny Reoch and Ricky Siemens, all Bantam Titans in the Gordon Sturtridge Football League, and Cody Wright, a flag football player from the Squamish Blue Bullets, were given league honours.
Craig Constantin, 14, was awarded Most Sportsmanlike for the Bantam division. He played linebacker on defence, and was an offensive lineman.
"Craig was probably one of the hardest workers on the team," said Bantam Titan head coach Rob Ryan.
"It's a real hard, real physical position. He played it with total class. He got very few penalties."
Ryan said the entire offensive linemen gave 100 per cent."It's one position that doesn't get much credit."
"I just didn't see it coming," said Constantin about his award. He thinks he may have got the award for "the love of the game, and playing it right."
His favourite part of the season was going to the playoffs, where the team finished in second place after losing to the Raiders.
"It was a good year. A lot more people showed up," Constantin said.
Derrick Zeleniski, 16, played linebacker on defence and receiver (slotback) on offence for the Bantam Titans. He was awarded Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
"He probably led the league in tackles," Ryan said. "He was all over the field."
"One of the biggest stats on defence is tackles."
This is his fourth year winning Most Outstanding Defensive Player. He also received the award at the PeeWee level, and twice when he played Minor.
But he has another skill as well.
"He was probably the best receiver in the league," Ryan said. "He was by far the best receiver in the league on offence.
"There were a number of really good offensive players this year. He was probably in the running for that as well."
This is Zeleniski's last year of GSL football. He plans on trying out for the Howe Sound Sounders next year, because he will be too old to play league ball.
"I've played all my life in GSL," he said.
The highlight of the season for him was making it to the playoff championship game, something he's only managed to do twice.
"It was amazing. I've always been playing on losing teams," Zeleniski said.
Danny Reoch, 14, played fastback for the Bantam team. It was his first season on Bantam, although he has played GSL football for 5 years. He was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
"He was the key to our offence," Ryan said. "He carried the ball more than anyone in the league.""He's a hard fast runner and very hard to tackle."
Ryan said although Reoch doesn't have a large stature, "he plays like a big player."
"It surprised me because we lost the championship," said Reoch about his award.
"I'm just glad we came in second, and not third."
Last year he was awarded the Unsung Hero award at the Minor level.
Reoch said he doesn't want his muscles to pull again next season so he "can run fast again."
Ricky Siemens, 14, didn't have the same long years of experience in GSL football as his teammates - but he was named Rookie of the Year.
"Rookie of the Year goes to the most outstanding contact player," Ryan said.
Siemens was a linebacker on defence and a running back on offence.
"It's pretty rare for a first year player to be playing two positions like that in their first year."
Peer pressure pushed Siemens into football, which he had only previously played in school.
"When I got tackled I wouldn't fall down. My friends said that was good," Siemens said.
"It's my favourite sport now."
He's looking forward to next season.
"Next year our whole team will be Grade 10s, so that will be an advantage."
The only other Squamish football level to have a league winner was the Flag division. Cody Wright, 9, was named Most Valuable Player, an honour he also received in 2002.
"I was really astonished because I think Tyson should have got it," he said. "He was a little bit better than me this year."
Tyson Thomson is a teammate who travelled from Whistler to play with the team.
"[Wright] is a hard working consistent player," said Ryan, who is also the coordinator for all the Squamish community football teams. "He plays both sides of the ball."
The Squamish Blue Bullets finished second in their division.
"I think it was plain old teamwork that got us here," Wright said.
Wright has to move into PeeWee next season, which is something he is looking forward to.
"Flag is a little boring sometimes."
