Paul LaPolice Named Head Coach of Canada’s Men’s National Flag Football Team Ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics
Ottawa, ON – May 8th – Football Canada is pleased to announce that longtime Canadian Football League coach Paul LaPolice has been appointed Head Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Flag Football Team. With flag football set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games, LaPolice will lead Canada’s pursuit of a podium finish on sport’s biggest stage.
LaPolice brings over 20 years of coaching experience at the professional level, including head coaching roles with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa REDBLACKS and multiple tenures as an offensive coordinator. Renowned across Canadian football for his offensive innovation, meticulous preparation, and ability to lead high-performance athletes, LaPolice is uniquely positioned to transition his deep tactical knowledge into the fast-paced, precision-driven flag football format.
We are thrilled to welcome Paul LaPolice to our National Team Program, said Katie Miyazaki, Director of High Performance for Football Canada, “his proven leadership and commitment to excellence along with a wealth of experience from the pro sport landscape is going to elevate our program to the next level.”
Throughout his CFL career, LaPolice has earned a reputation as a student of the game—building top-ranked offences, mentoring countless quarterbacks, and bringing a data-driven mindset to team development. His experience in managing elite-level athletes and complex playbooks makes him ideally suited to guide Canada’s men’s national program as it enters a new era of global competition.
Under LaPolice’s leadership, Canada will begin preparations for international qualification events and the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship, a key stepping stone toward Olympic participation. His focus will include athlete identification, roster development, competitive integration, and fostering a distinct Canadian identity within the international flag football landscape.
I am absolutely thrilled to be named the Head Coach of the Canadian Men’s National Flag Football team, Paul LaPolice told Football Canada, “I am humbled to be able to represent the football community of Canada as well as the Country that I have called home for the past twenty-five years. I want to thank Football Canada’s leadership for this opportunity and also want to thank my teammates at TSN who have enthusiastically supported me and many will take on an extra workload when I have to be at tournaments each summer. We are excited to start building to compete at the highest level. We all are hoping that everyone can help support us in any way on our journey to the Olympic games. “
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 on national team programming, open tryouts, and competition schedules will be released in the coming months.
About Football Canada:
Football Canada is the national governing body for amateur football in Canada. Since 1884, it has worked to develop and promote safe and inclusive football opportunities from grassroots to national team levels. Football Canada also leads the country’s top flag football competitions, including the Elite Flag Nationals, Senior Men’s Flag Championship, Club Flag Nationals, and the Canadian Collegiate Flag Football Championship.
Media Contact:
Braydon Stachel
Marketing and Communications Manager
Football Canada
bstachel@footballcanada.com
