The time is now for Ethan

For Ethan Perry, this is ideally just the beginning. As the Football Canada Western U16 Challenge kicked off Day 1 of what will be a week-long stay Sunday afternoon at the University of Lethbridge Stadium, the running back from Claresholm helped Team Alberta get off to a 1-0 start to the tournament courtesy a 48-3 win over Team Saskatchewan in the four-team event that also features Team B.C. and Team Manitoba.

As he looks to catch the eye of the Football Canada representatives who will select the top players from each team to make up the Canadian team that will play in the International Bowl against Team USA at Cowboy Stadium in Dallas in January, Perry got off to a fine start Sunday, posting a pair of touchdowns including an impressive run in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring for Alberta.

A selection to Team Canada will earn him a trip to the Lone Star State early next year, but as the players unwound after Sunday’s game under a blistering hot sun that may have had those in attendance wondering if they were in Texas right now, Perry took a further peek down the road.

“It’s so much fun, it’s realiy important, for sure,” said Perry of getting a chance to play in this week’s event. “This is hopefully just the beginning. Hopefully I can go to university or college.”

But on Sunday afternoon, Perry lined up with his new Team Alberta squad and got the hosts off to a winning start.

With his hometown roughly 40 minutes north of the U of L Stadium, there were plenty of familiar faces to greet Perry as he and his teammates trotted of the field and the running back was greeted with backslaps, hugs and cellphone pictures with family and friends.

“I really like it,” said Perry of the semi-local locale he gets to compete in. “The family can come out and watch and I don’t have to travel so far.”

After the teams take today and Tuesday to practise, the Football Canada Western U16 Challenge resumes Wednesday when British Columbia takes on Saskatchewan at 4 p.m. and Alberta faces Manitoba, who defeated B.C. 26-7 in the first game Sunday.

“I think it’ll be good,” said Perry of the impending battle of the 1-0 teams. “Manitoba is going to be hard competition for sure,” said Perry.