Gage Campaigne loves the game of football and when he gets riled up, good things happen for his U14 Bulldogs football team.
"I play with aggression and anger," he admits. "Whatever happens in my life I take it out in football."
For the second time in less than a month, Campaigne's efforts have helped him receive provincial recognition as the OSFL's U14 defensive player of the week.
Campaigne was a big part of the Bulldogs' defence this past weekend that allowed only one rushing touchdown in a 33-20 win over the Clarington Knights on Canada Day.
Campaigne, who also plays on special teams and at running back in spots for the Bulldogs' offence, also received defensive player of the week accolades after a Bulldogs 21-14 loss at the hands of the Huronia Stallions on June 11.
The 14-year-old credits his teammates and his coaching staff for some of his individual success.
"Coach Eric (Morgan) gives me a lot of freedom and lets me basically do whatever I want. He says if I mess up a play I better tell him what went wrong but he gives me the freedom I love," said Campaigne, who serves as a team captain for the Bulldogs.
The 6'0", 185-pound linebacker has also found success on offence. In fact, his favourite player is now Mike Alstott, a throwback fullback who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the late-1990s and early-2000s.
When Campaigne first started running the ball for the Bulldogs, his coaches cautioned him his upright body position would make him a bigger target. The coaches agreed it was time for their young star to study some grainy YouTube film of Alstott's crouched running style.
"He was big and fast," said Campaigne who was not born when Alstott made his NFL debut in 1996. "He's not a linebacker he is a running back, it was just amazing what he did and how he ran with the ball and kept pushing."
Campaigne loves playing linebacker, but he feels there is something special when carrying the ball.
"It gives me an amazing feeling, with this ball in my hands I can do anything. I can run my opponents over, I can do anything," said Campaigne.
In fact, Christa Morgan, the head coach with the Bulldogs, says Campaigne literally did it all last weekend in a dominant performance for the U14 squad.
"Gage could have easily won both offensive and defensive player of the week with his stats," she said noting Campaigne had two touchdowns and over 60 rushing yards.
"On defence, he had four tackles for loss, and at least 10 solo tackles, he also had a blocked punt and blocked two extra points."
Morgan believes the young team leader has the ability to make the players around him better too.
"He helps the newer players to understand their part in the defence and has a hand in making us one of toughest defences in the league," she said.
Campaigne and the U14 Bulldogs (2-1-1) are back in action at home Saturday, July 8 at 1:30 p.m. to face the Peterborough Wolverines at Father Cundari Field.
