THE BATTLEFORDS — The One World Bowl for football is a tournament meant to bring countries around the world to compete in American football.
Two players from the Battlefords, and members of North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings, were part of gold medal wins with Team Canada at the event held in Germany.
Brandyn Schmunk, a junior who will move up to the senior football ranks next year, and Keaton Osicki, a senior, were part of the winning teams. Both players were representing Canada with the Saskatchewan Selects, based out of Moose Jaw.
Canada won the One World Bowl football championship in both age categories, U14 and Varsity.
Saskatchewan Selects is a winter football program that trains on weekends. They host one tournament in January, Battle of the Prairies, and also compete in an away tournament. In 2024, they competed in both Florida and Germany.
The Sask Selects is formed from kids all over Saskatchewan. After returning from Germany, the Selects program is done for the season and all players have the opportunity to try out for future years.
Players must try out for the Sask. Selects in spring or summer and, if they make the team, and train, they will have the opportunity to be on the travel teams.
“It was overwhelmingly positive,” Keaten Osicki said of his experience.
“It will always be a great feeling for a chance to be able to represent myself, my province and country on a world stage. Being able to hoist a trophy alongside your teammates after defeating a strong American team, knowing you helped contribute to a win by giving it your all on that field gives you a great sense of accomplishment.”
Osicki is also looking to the future.
“You always like to take what you’ve learned and apply it to your next chapter, whether playing in high school with the Vikings or whatever ventures to come my way. I love the game. Hopefully, these opportunities can take it further than the high school level and allow me to play for many years to come.”
Brandyn fundraised throughout the year as well as receiving a corporate sponsorship from Bralin.
“The experience was a great event to develop and learn new skills that I would have never learned otherwise,” said Brandyn Schmunk
“Those skills that I developed in Germany will help me compete at a higher level than I ever did previously when I go back to my school season. The trip was breathtaking in many different ways but the thing that stood out the most was the atmosphere around me.”
The championship also included teams from Denmark, Israel, Mexico, the United States and host Germany. It was played under American football rules.
