NEWS: Four Hometown Gee-Gees Named to All-Canadian Teams

Four members of the Gee-Gees football team were named to the U SPORTS All-Canadian Teams on Thursday night in London, Ont., as the national award winners for 2022 were celebrated at the annual All-Canadian Gala. 

Senior linebacker James Peter was named to the First Team of All-Canadians, with his defensive teammates Emmanuel Aboagye-Gyan and Kevin Victome named to the Second Team. J-P Cimankinda was also selected to the Second Team. Of note, all four are originally from Ottawa. 

Building off the eight selections to the OUA All-Star Team, the foursome represents the largest group of All-Canadians in football from uOttawa since the 2010 season.

"To see their development from 2021 to 2022 was really impressive – all four of those guys, all eight at the conference level, and the team in general – the work and effort and time that they put in to get their game to the next level was really important and really nice to see," said Gee-Gees head coach Marcel Bellefeuille.  

James Peter led OUA with 7.3 tackles per game and was second nationally in total tackles made. His impact went beyond the stat line, says Bellefeuille. "He leads by example – his tempo and detail which he practices at, is number one. He's always at the top of his game. As a leader, he's a critical guy but he's just as good of a player as he is a leader. He's so dynamic and explosive - makes plays running full speed, exploding through players, gets around the ball, plays physical."

A human kinetics student from Ottawa, Peter was also a crucial contributor on special teams for the Gee-Gees. "When you have a player like that - he plays every down and really doesn't come off the field," notes Bellefeuille, "You really can't top that. He's deserving of everything and more."

At SAM linebacker, Emmanuel Aboagye-Gyan made his presence felt this season. He led the Garnet and Grey in sacks and stuffed the stat sheet with forced fumbles, fumble returns, and an interception throughout a highlight-packed year. The criminology student moved from defensive halfback: an adjustment that Bellefeuille notes opened up new possibilities. "[SAM] is a position that fits his skill sets, where he could be successful, and he ran with it."

"It's a hard position to play, and he really mastered it," says Bellefeuille of Aboagye-Gyan. "He was in position to make plays and he was able to have a really big impact on the game because of how well he played his position."

On the boundary half, Kevin Victome led all of U SPORTS in pass breakups with nine and added two interceptions. "His desire to get better really drove him, his ability to watch film and work his technique and his skill set. He didn't just make strides year over year, he was making adjustments and improving week to week, always working his craft," says Bellefeuille.

A criminology student, Victome was also a member of the 2019 OUA All-Rookie Team. "When you turn the film on, you see in his coverage - locking down, cutting plays off – you see that he is elite." 

J-P Cimankinda returned to the Gee-Gees for 2022 after being selected by Edmonton in the seventh round of the 2021 CFL Draft. He elevated his game to another level, rushing for 122 yards per game to rank second in U SPORTS as well as ranking top four in the nation in all-purpose yards thanks to his 132 receiving yards. The human resources management student's 976 total rushing yards in the regular season was the most by a Gee-Gee since 1976, ranking second all-time in program history.

"[Cimankinda's] attention to detail set him apart this year. He has all the little things it takes to be a pro back, the ancillary skills you need to play at the next level," says Bellefeuille. "Being named an All-Canadian is a great accomplishment by him, and we're very proud of him – he's accomplished a lot in his short time here. He became a better receiver and I think that really propelled him. He did it all."

Reflecting on the group as a whole, Bellefeuille notes their commonality is their commitment to their technical skills. "Movement, flexibility, footwork, football IQ, alignment, responsibility, technique on every different play - all those things come together. Every player has to have that combination of pieces to rise to the highest level of their position."

"It's important to us that we develop every single player – that will make our team better. Everyone has to work collectively for anyone to have any success. Every individual award is a representation of the team as a whole, but even more specifically the units that work together and work collectively. That allows guys to rise to the cream of the crop."