DANNY MACIOCIA began 2005 by winning a championship during Super Bowl week in Jacksonville and brought the year to a close with a Grey Cup victory north of the border in Vancouver, BC on Sunday.

Maciocia also serves as head coach of Team Canada, the national junior team that will play at the NFL Global Junior Championship X in Detroit on January 25 and 29 as part of the Super Bowl XL festivities. In January Canada snapped a four-year Team USA winning streak by claiming the championship under Maciocia's leadership, beating a Jacksonville all-star team, also by a score of 38-35. Canada defeated Japan, Mexico and France to reach the Gold Medal game.

The 37-year-old was named head coach of Team Canada for the 2004 NFL Global Junior Championship in Houston and led the team to a silver medal. He graduated from the role of offensive coordinator of the Eskimos to head coach, but remained loyal to the cause of Team Canada. Earlier this year Maciocia agreed to guide Team Canada for a further three years.

The NFL Global Junior Championship X is the first event of Super Bowl XL. All-star teams from Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the United States will compete for the title of world champions.

The teenage football all-stars will play a shootout-style jamboree tournament from 12pm to 10pm on Wednesday, January 25 to determine who will contest the Championship Game on Sunday, January 29 at 1pm. The Team USA challenge will be led by two-time Ohio state champion head coach Dick Cromwell of St. Francis De Sales High School in Toledo, OH.