VANIER ATHLETES IN THE NEWS     
VANIER PIVOT MYLES GIBBON PICKED BY THE GAZETTE AND
GLOBAL TV AS THEIR AMATEUR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
October 31, 2007

Vanier's Gibbon takes control
Record year at helm. Unbeaten Cheetahs eye second straight Bol d'Or
by ARPON BASU, Freelance

Myles Gibbon found himself in a very unusual position last year when, for the first time in his life, he was watching his football team while standing on the sidelines.

Despite arriving at Vanier College with a solid reputation as a winning quarterback - six straight appearances in provincial championship games through the peewee, bantam and midget ranks - Gibbon was a backup last season to current Concordia Stingers starter Liam Mahoney.

Gibbon made the best of the situation, soaking up everything he could about the collegiate game as he patiently waited his turn.

I was behind the best quarterback in the league and I was learning from the best coaches in the league," Gibbon, who turns 19 Friday, said at his family's Ste. Rose home. "So it wasn't the worst thing that could have happened."

In fact, it couldn't have turned out much better.

After spending the year learning how to read the more complex coverage schemes of the Triple-A Collegiate Football League, Gibbon entered this year as the unquestioned starter for Vanier and has gone on to produce one of the team's best seasons in league history.

Gibbon threw 25 touchdown passes in eight games this season to shatter the league record of 18 that stood for 12 years, needing two fewer games to do it. But more important to Gibbon was that his performance helped lead his Cheetahs to an undefeated 8-0 regular season as they prepare to make a run at a second straight Bol d'Or championship when the playoffs start next weekend.


Cheetahs QB Myles Gibbon learned from the best last season.
ALLEN MCINNIS, THE GAZETTE

"For pretty much every player, going undefeated and winning the Bol d'Or was the goal," Gibbon said. "So breaking the record never really entered my head until I was one (touchdown) away from tying it. It just kind of snuck up on me."

That's probably because breaking records has become old hat for Gibbon, as the wall of fame filled with trophies and game balls in his living room will attest.


When Gibbon goes to the air, it's usually money in the bank.

His most incredible mark would have to be his second year of peewee in 2001 when he threw for a mind-boggling 89 touchdowns and 4,063 yards in 10 games with the Chomedey Blues.

At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Gibbon has decent size for a quarterback and an outstanding arm that can launch the ball 40 yards downfield with pinpoint accuracy, no matter the conditions.

A perfect example came in the second quarter of Friday night's season-ending 27-10 win over Champlain-Lennoxville when Gibbon rolled out to his right and looked downfield into a stiff wind.

Most quarterbacks wouldn't have even considered trying to go for the end zone, but Gibbon reared back and threw a 34-yard spiral on the run into the waiting hands of receiver Sanchez Deschamps for a touchdown.

Those plays were commonplace for the Cheetahs this year, but it is Gibbon's temperament that impressed Vanier head coach Peter Chryssomalis the most.

"He's really grown this year," Chryssomalis said. "He seems much more in control of himself, very poised and very confident."

Frankly, with all he's accomplished this season, what possible reason could Gibbon have for not being confident?

The Amateur Athlete of the Week is featured on Global TV, Wed evening at 6 pm, and online at www.montrealgazette.com.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007

SEE MYLES IN ACTION:

VIEW A VIDEO CLIP WITH A FEW SCORING HIGHLIGHTS FROM A GAME ON SEPTEMBER 22

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