Ed McNally has had little time to let this all sink in.

One thing is for sure though, this is one giant step in his football career.

Less than two years ago, the Moncton native was a linebacker with the Bernice MacNaughton Highlanders. He was a key contributor to the Highlanders' back-to-back New Brunswick high school championships in 2006-07.

Now, he's a starter with the Canadian national team that will play in the inaugural International Federation of American Football world junior championship in Canton, Ohio.

The eight-team tournament begins tomorrow and will feature many of the globe's top 19-and-under players. McNally will be in the middle of it.

"If you told me in high school that I would make this team, I would have looked at you pretty funny. I had never even heard of this team," McNally said from London, Ont., where the Canadian squad completed its training camp before traveling to Ohio yesterday.

"It's not something I ever thought I could do, so it feels so good to be here. Every Christmas you hear all about the Canadian team playing at the world junior hockey championship and now this is our chance."

The Canadian team tryout process began in the spring, with regional selection camps held in Montreal, Hamilton, Ont. and Calgary. From there, 60 players were invited to the final tryout camp last week in London, where the roster was trimmed down to 45 players.

McNally, 18, impressed the Canadian coaching staff enough to earn the starting weakside linebacker position heading into Canada's opening game tomorrow against New Zealand. The tournament will be held at Canton's Fawcett Stadium, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"It was a tough process. Two-a-day practices under 30 degree weather and the players here are good. Very skilled and very athletic," said McNally, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder who played in three games with the Acadia Axemen in his Atlantic University Sport football conference rookie season last fall.

"I've just kept working hard and I have to give a lot of credit to (Bernice MacNaughton linebacker coach) Pete Miller for helping me come a long way in the past year. We've been working out since I got home from school and he's been in touch with me all year at Acadia, helping me out with every thing and giving me advice."

McNally is part of a larger Acadia contingent with the Canadian squad. His Axemen teammate, defensive end Jake Thomas of Douglas, N.B., also made the team while his head coach in Wolfville, N.S., Jeff Cummins, is the defensive line coach.

In fact, Cummins is one of seven Canadian Interuniversity Sport head coaches with the Canadian entry that is guided by Laval Rouge et Or bench boss Glen Constantin.

"A lot of the big CIS head coaches are with us, so it's really easy to soak up all their information. Just being here is helping me become a better football player," said McNally, a former New Brunswick High School Football League Eastern Conference player of the year.

"It's been a great experience so far and it's only really just the beginning. I'm learning more about the game, I'm developing as a player and I'm having fun, too."

The world junior championship includes Canada, United States, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, France, Japan and New Zealand. Canada is seeded first based on previous junior international play.

Tournament games are also scheduled for Wednesday and July 4, with the final set for July 5.

McNally, who will enter his second year at Acadia in the fall, is bubbling with excitement for tomorrow's first game.

"My plan is to work my butt off, work as hard as I can to help our team win the gold medal," he said.

"It's a huge tournament on a huge field with American rules, but I think we're prepared. We have a talented group, we're very capable, but we can't underestimate any of the other countries in a tournament like this."

Mount Allison Mounties defensive back Elliott Hicks, defensive end Ryan Downe and offensive lineman Mike Filer were selected to attend Canadian team regional tryout camps.