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Winnipegger Jackson Tachinski says he was overcome with emotion when Canada’s men’s flag football team put itself in the history books over the weekend.
Tachinski and the team won bronze at the IFAF World Flag Football Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany, defeating Mexico 34-26 on Sunday. The game ended in dramatic fashion, as Guillaume Béland picked off a Mexico pass to help Canada seal the victory in overtime.
The win helped Canada punch its ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will be an event for the first time.
“After that interception, it was pretty emotional,” Tachinski said.
“It was definitely an experience that I can’t really describe,” he said. “Just being able to be there in that moment, it was so cool. I wish everyone could experience that feeling. It was so surreal.”
Tachinski said he’s “still kind of speechless” about the win.
While it’s still two years away, being able to play for Canada at the Olympics would be special, he said.
Canada’s men’s and women’s flag football teams made history last weekend, qualifying for the 2028 Olympics, where the sport will make its debut. The men’s team has Winnipeg connections.
“I think it’d be an awesome experience,” Tachinski said. “Even just being in the Olympic Village and part of that setting. Even just being here at the [world championship], it was amazing.”
Canada’s women’s team is also headed to the Olympics. They beat the U.S. 27-20 on Sunday to cap off an undefeated run. Quarterback Sara Parker was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
In Winnipeg, Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea had high praise for both teams after Monday’s practice.
“Tremendously proud,” he said.
“I don’t want to say envious or [jealous], it’s just that idea of being able to represent your country, it carries so much weight for me,” he said. “I tried to tune in on whatever channels they were on and watched a bit of it when I could. But I’m just so excited for both clubs.”
CFL and NFL players will also be allowed to participate in flag football at the 2028 Olympics.
Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski, who grew up in Winnipeg, said Monday he’s not ruling out the possibility of trying to make the Olympic team. But with the event two years away, he’s not sure where he’ll be at in his football career.
“I think anytime you get to compete on a national stage for your country, I think it’s a great opportunity. That’s something I’ve kind of told those guys. Like, ‘Yeah, I get to play pro football, but you guys have the opportunity to go out there and do it for the flag on your back.”
Team Canada head coach Paul LaPolice had stints in Winnipeg as head coach and offensive co-ordinator of the Bombers. He said figuring out any CFL or NFL additions to the roster will be done at another time
“I think that will be research down the road,” LaPolice said. “We’ll [get to] that element, but right now … happy with this crew, and we’ll kind of celebrate with them”
He said accessibility and creativity on the field are among flag football’s draw factors.
“It doesn’t take a lot of money to play, and it’s a fun game,” LaPolice said. “The ball’s in the air all the time, there’s so many passes.
“There’s so much creativity in the flag football game at the IFAF level, with multiple quarterbacks [and] laterals. So, it’s a pretty neat experience to be part of.”
At the local level, Football Manitoba CEO Bill Johnson said those qualities are leading to continued growth in flag football and that the Olympic berths will raise its profile even higher.
“I think that people now realize that, ‘Hey, these guys are really good athletes who are playing the game at the highest levels,'” he said.
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