Mark Masters
CFL.ca
It is perhaps the most under-rated position in professional football: long snapper. The ability to snap the ball back to a punter or holder for a field goal is so important, but often overlooked.
Just ask the Toronto Argonauts, who dragged retired long snapper Randy Srochenski out of retirement before the 2008 season started because the players auditioning to replace him at training camp were having trouble.
That’s why St-Laurent, Que. native Anthony Lukca may have an edge when the Canadian Football League Evaluation Camp gets underway next month.
“In university football my coaches told me to work hard on the skill [long snapping],” said Lukca. “I’ve come to realize that the CFL likes Canadian players who excel on special teams and who can play on offence or defence as well.”
The 5-foot-9, 190-pound defensive back has a secret weapon in his attempt to make it to the professional ranks. He has been tutored by Jean-Phillippe Darche, a veteran long-snapper who has made it big in the NFL.
The two met by chance.
Darche’s family moved into the same neighbourhood as the Lukca family when J.P was only seven years old. The families became close soon after and when Lukca was born and started to show an interest in football the relationship really blossomed.
“Ever since he knew I was into football he’s helped me,” said Lukca, who played at McGill University just like Darche. “We set up a time at least once every off-season when he could come back and help me train. He’s very busy so some times it’s just and hour or two of snapping, but it’s just great to be able to train with him.”
Darche played five seasons with McGill before signing on with the Toronto Argonauts. After one year with Toronto he moved on to the NFL and in 2006 became the first Canadian Interuniversity Sport alumnus to play in the Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
But it wasn’t Darche who got Lukca into the sport. It was his older brother, Jonathan.
“My mom was not a big fan of football growing up but my brother, who was two years older than me, started playing in high school and I looked up to him,” said Lukca. “He would let me come and watch his high-school games and playing football just seemed like the thing to do. Ever since I put my helmet on I couldn’t take it off.”
After attending College Notre-Dame and being named captain of the high school team in 2002 he moved on to Choate Rosemary Hall, a prep school in Wallingford, Connecticut where he was again named captain of the varsity team.
In 2005 he started at McGill and joined the football team. In his freshman season he played primarily as a backup, but even in that role managed to tie for second on the team with two interceptions.
The next season he was named McGill’s most improved player and led the team in interceptions.
By the time his senior season rolled around he was named a captain of the team.
But Lucka’s fine play did not translate into wins. The club struggled failing to win a game in his last two season going 0-16.
During the 2007 season the team did not attempt a field goal meaning Lukca’s long-snapping prowess was only seen on punts. It is a dubious distinction Lukca doesn’t like to talk about.
“It was weird how that happened and I’m still not sure how it did.”
And while 2008 was also a winless campaign Lukca has no regrets about choosing to play for the Redmen.
“It’s been a really good experience and I have no regrets,” he said. “Everyone on the team was tight and we went through some very close losses. The team is rebuilding and it will be great in the future.”
One bright spot was snapping for field kicker Austin Anderson, the son of former NFL kicker Gary Anderson.
“It was really cool teaming up with him,” said Lukca. “He brought a lot to our field-goal unit. We had a great relationship and practiced quite a bit to get our timing down.
“His dad came in once and gave us a speech before a game. He’s had some tough losses too and to hear from him and how he always bounced back was inspiring.”
For now Lukca is mostly focused on the future and trying to follow in the footsteps of Darche while at the same time showing the same resilience as Anderson.
“My dream is to play in the CFL and that’s my focus.”
If that doesn’t work out the 22-year-old said he wants to be a teacher and a football coach. He wants to give back to the community.
He currently works with the ACES program in conjunction with the Montreal Police Force to help underprivileged teens stay out of trouble by playing football.
“I’ve had some awesome coaches and teachers through the years and it’s because of them I’ve become who I am today. To give back to the community is something I think is very important. Working with those kids and teaching … that’s my inspiration.”
Mark Masters is a freelance writer living in Toronto. He has written about the Canadian Football League in the National Post, Enterprise magazine and the Toronto Argonauts game-day program.
