Joel Lipinski named Defensive Coordinator for Canada’s Senior Men’s National Flag Football Team
Ottawa, ON – May 20th – Football Canada is proud to announce that Joel Lipinski has been named Defensive Coordinator of the Men’s National Flag Football Team. A long-time contributor to Canadian football both on and off the field, Lipinski brings a rare combination of national team experience, elite-level coaching expertise, and an academic foundation in performance science that will be instrumental as Canada pursues success on the international stage.
“We are excited to announce Joel as our Men’s National Flag Football Team Defensive Coordinator,” said Paul LaPolice, Head Coach of the Men’s National Flag Team. “Joel has a wealth of experience as a player and a coach with the men’s national team and world championship tournaments. He is thought of very highly on the national flag stage, and we are excited to bring him on board to lead our defensive unit.”
Lipinski is no stranger to the national team environment. He served as Defensive Coordinator for the Senior Men’s Flag Football Team at the 2024 IFAF World Championship and has represented Canada in multiple disciplines—earning a silver medal at the 2011 IFAF Senior Men’s Tackle World Championship and competing at three IFAF Flag Football World Championships as a player and team captain. Joel also served as Football Canada’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2016.
Off the field, Lipinski holds a Master of Science in Kinesiology and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also certified in Functional Movement Screening (FMS), Speed and Agility Coaching, and Precision Nutrition (Level 2). His extensive work in sport science and athlete development includes consulting for the Sport Medicine and Science Council of Saskatchewan and training over 700 athletes annually through his business, Ignite Athletics.
A former CFL defensive back with both Saskatchewan and Edmonton, Lipinski also played collegiately at both the University of Regina and Saint Mary’s University, where he was a two-time All-Canadian. His coaching background spans U SPORTS, CJFL, high school, and provincial teams, with a focus on defensive strategy, performance programming, and leadership development. He currently serves as a strength and conditioning coach and assistant defensive backs coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Lipinski’s appointment further solidifies Football Canada’s high-performance infrastructure under LaPolice’s leadership, as the Men’s Flag program prepares for upcoming international competition and the road to Olympic inclusion at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Football Canada’s final National ID Camp will be held in Montréal on May 22nd to May 24th at the Université de Montréal.
Additional information about national team programming and competition schedules will be announced in the coming months.
Media Contact:
Braydon Stachel
Marketing & Communications Manager
Football Canada
bstachel@footballcanada.com
