Football Canada has hired longtime Canadian Football League coach Paul LaPolice as head coach for the Canadian men’s national flag football team and Rachel Lessard in the same role for the national women’s flag football team.
The 54-year-old LaPolice will lead Canada’s podium pursuit as the sport makes its debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
LaPolice has over 20 years coaching experience at the professional level, including head coach roles with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Redblacks as well as multiple tenures as an offensive coordinator in the CFL.
“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,” Katie Miyazaki, director of high performance for Football Canada, said in a statement.
Under LaPolice’s leadership, Canada begins preparations for international qualification events and the 2026 IFAF Flag Football World Championship, a key event for Olympic participation. According to Football Canada, his focus includes athlete identification, roster development, competitive integration, and fostering a distinct Canadian identity within the international flag football landscape.
“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,” LaPolice said in a statement.
“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. “
With over 29 years combined experience as a player and coach, Lessard leads Canada’s top athletes onto the global stage at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.
Lessard won a world championship as an athlete in 2010 and she’s the only female head coach currently active on Quebec’s university football circuit. She has earned multiple national and international medals in both playing and coaching roles, including gold at the 2024 National Senior Championships, gold at the 2024 Tampa World Championships, bronze as Team Canada’s defensive coordinator at the 2023 Americas Cup and most recently coaching Universite de Montréal to the team’s second Canadian Collegiate Flag Football Championship national title.
“Rachel has a deep understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level and how to be a leader in that space. She’s a proven winner and we are certain that under Coach Lessard’s guidance, our athletes will be well-positioned to achieve their fullest potential on the international stage,” Miyazaki said in a statement.
Lessard has served as head coach and defensive coordinator for Montreal’s Cayenne senior team, Quebec’s U18 provincial excellence program, and the Université de Montréal, consistently producing championship-calibre results.
“This game has given me everything”, Lessard said in a statement. “I am proud and humbled to have the privilege to lead these extraordinary athletes. Eyes on the podium. The journey starts now.”
With Lessard at the helm, Canada heads to Chengdu, China in August 2025 to compete against the world’s top women’s flag football teams. That event will be a critical benchmark as Football Canada works toward Olympic qualification.
Football Canada’s final national ID camp will be held in Montreal, QC on Thursday, May 22 through, Saturday, May 24 at the Université de Montréal.
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