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Benton McLean a perfect fit for Joe Mac Football

The Joe MacDonald Youth Football League has long been associated with a trio of gentlemen who have shared a vision since Day 1.
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Growing up in England, Benton McLean wasn’t introduced to the North American version of football until he came to Canada. Photo by Randy Pascal.

The Joe MacDonald Youth Football League has long been associated with a trio of gentlemen who have shared a vision since Day 1.

The guiding troika of Chris Bartolucci, Mike Staffen and Allan Lekun have been celebrated, at various times, for their dedication and commitment to growing youth football in Greater Sudbury — and deservedly so.

Yet for the hundreds of parents and players who have made the Saturday afternoon fall trek to the James Jerome Sports Complex and previous venues over the past two decades, there is perhaps a face who is even more familiar.

Benton McLean began his association with the JMYFL some 20 years ago as well, on the urging of friends and acquaintances who were looking to do likewise, most notably former Sudbury Spartans’ running back Neri Fratin.

Born in London (England), and having moved to Canada when he was 10, McLean has a semblance of sporting involvement as a youngster, though none whatsoever with the sport of football, at least not in the North American sense of the game.

Not that this lack of familiarity would deter McLean in the slightest. “Part of my background is kinesiology and science, and they thought I would be a good fit,” he explained. “Fit” being the operative word, as things would turn out.

While McLean has tackled a variety of roles over the years, he is first and foremost known as the man responsible for the maintenance and proper fitting of all the league equipment, an ambitious undertaking, to say the least.

“When I first started, Neri assisted me in demonstrating how to properly fit a helmet,” said McLean. “Then I found some literature on it and gained from the experience of just doing it.”

Such was the conscientious approach the football neophyte possessed that he would think nothing of calling the equipment manufacturers directly, looking for advice on how best to deal with those athletes whose basic body types just don’t fit the mold.

These days, one might say he is something of an expert in the field.

“The helmets have changed dramatically over the years,” said McLean. “When we first started, there weren’t any air pockets or gel pockets in them. Now, it makes it a heck of a lot easier to fit it properly.”

Perhaps more than any other local sports organization, “Joe Mac Football” has been blessed with a core of very dedicated volunteers who have withstood the test of time, a group that McLean calls his own.

“The biggest thing that gets me to come back year after year is just to see the growth and development in the children that play sports,” he acknowledged. “A lot of them come in and are really shy, and by the end of the season, they’ve gone 180 degrees in the opposite direction.”

And while McLean might not have that same relationship that coaches will build up with their athletes, there is still a bond that is formed, one that carries forward.

“It’s funny,” he said. “Kids that have gone through our program and are now in high school or elsewhere, will still stop and say hi, and talk about their time with Joe Mac Youth Football.”

Randy Pascal is a contributing sports writer for NorthernLife.ca.


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