Wilson and Stewart’s East-West experience should pay off for Gee-Gees

A great football game took place this past Saturday when the East team claimed a 19-12 win in the 12th annual East West Bowl, presented by Under Armour at TD Stadium on the campus of Western University. Defensive back Dustin Wilson and receiver Ian Stewart represented the garnet and grey for the winning team at this year's event.

The game was the conclusion of an intensive week of football starting with the Under Armour Combine and followed by three days of practice and meetings supervised by several CFL and selected CIS coaches. The two players from the University of Ottawa thus had the opportunity to improve their physical and tactical skills and impress some CFL recruiters present for the occasion.

"It was a great experience from beginning to end. Wednesday through Friday we competed in five more practices to perfect our plays and get ready for the game on Saturday," said Stewart. "Overall, the week was well organized in regards to meals, meetings, practices, and obviously a ton of fun,'' commented Stewart.

Both Gee-Gees had the chance to learn a lot during the week. "For the most part I learned that fundamentals and athleticism are most important. Teams may run different schemes, but we all have to perform the basics," said Wilson. "During individual time CFL coaches ran us through footwork and hip drills intensely. They simply wanted to see who could best perform the basic skills of a defensive back,'' mentioned Wilson.

Wilson and Stewart also had the chance to meet their season rivals, but this time they were playing together on the same side of the field. "There was very little tension throughout the week amongst the players. Everyone was friendly and supportive of each other during the entire process whether that was on the field, in the locker room, or during meetings. It was interesting to meet players from rival university teams and realize that they are nothing like they are on the field and that they are all good guys," said Stewart.

Before the East-West Bowl week began, the Gee-Gees concluded their 2014 Spring Camp on May 4th at Gee-Gees Field. uOttawa, which finished 5-3 during the 2013-14 regular season, has great expectations for 2014 the players are highly anticipating the up-coming year.

"If we are able to stay healthy, I truly believe that our team is looking to be strong competitors in the OUA and CIS. We are in the second year of learning the systems, and I believe we are more advanced schematically right now than we were last year," explained Wilson.

With the second year system of coach Barresi, the team's veterans are now more familiar and more confident in play execution. "There is nothing worse than being confused or unsure about a play when you are in the moment and trying to run it full speed on the field. Moreover, when you fully understand the playbook you can focus on the fundamental little things that separate the good players from the great players," added Stewart.

The East-West all-stars will lead the Gee-Gees onto the field on Monday, September 1st to kick off the 2014 season with a home game against the York Lions.