The St. Paul Lions have seen their share of success over the years, winning five league championships out of their six appearances in the league finals, but now, a former Lions player is having his own individual success, having been selected to play in the annual Senior Bowl at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.
Donovan Campeau played for two years for the St. Paul Lions Football team as a dominant running back, and still attends school at St. Paul Regional High School, but is no longer age-eligible to play high school football.
On April 8 to 10, Donovan travelled to Foote Field in Edmonton for a weekend long tryout for the Senior Bowl High School Football All-Star game, which takes place on May 23.
The Senior Bowl is put on by Football Alberta, which takes the best football players in Northern Alberta and Southern Alberta that are no longer eligible to play high school ball. The north and south camps each assemble a team that has three days to practice, which then face off in a Monday afternoon game.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity; to get to play my last “high-school” game on a stage like that is going to be pretty cool,” he said.
Campeau started playing football at the Bantam level in Bonnyville and admits that it has not always been a passion of his.
“It was just something that I grew interest in when the opportunity came along. I hadn’t thought that much about football until I joined. I was a short big guy and I progressively got taller, faster and stronger and now I’ve become a strong running back.”
After four years of bantam football in Bonnyville, Campeau moved to St. Paul, but missed his first year in St. Paul due to a broken wrist.
His play in Grade 11 and Grade 12 kept progressing, according to Lions Coach John Lumby, who said, “Donovan is a very talented running back, and his play last season was very evident of that. He made a lot of progress from Grade 11 to Grade 12, with finding lanes. This kid really has a lot of heart and that’s a factor he will definitely bring to the table at the Senior Bowl.”
Donovan’s father, Brian, added that Donovan’s style of play requires him to spend some time in the game before he really reaches his best. “He really plays with an edge once he gets going. He has to get a hit a couple of times, and then it really gives him the drive to get out there and hit everyone a little harder than they hit him. He really plays with a lot of heart and he’s a valuable player to have near the end of a game.”
In Donovan’s Grade 9 year, he participated in the Alberta Summer Games, and the bantam bowl, so he has some familiarity with events like the Senior Bowl.
Donovan’s plan for the game is relaxed but determined.
“I’m just going to go out there, play hard and have fun. It will be my last high school game so I just have to enjoy it. The competition and level of play is going to be higher.”
From May 19 to 23, Donovan will be in the city practicing with his temporary team, then will play a strong Southern team in the Commonwealth stadium on May 23, representing St. Paul with his football skills.
