Growing up in Kelowna, Kyle Zakala often envisioned the day he91裸聊视频檇 step on to the gridiron wearing the colours of the 91裸聊视频檚
That time has arrived for the 18-year-old receiver.
91裸聊视频淚 remember when I was young, going to Sun games, really liking the team and thinking how much I91裸聊视频檇 like to play for them one day,91裸聊视频� said Zakala, who played for Sun head coach Ben Macauley at KSS. 91裸聊视频淚t was a dream, I guess you could say.
91裸聊视频淩ight now, I91裸聊视频檓 really enjoying it,91裸聊视频� added Zakala. 91裸聊视频淭he players are all super good and nice to be around. I91裸聊视频檓 looking forward to playing and definitely want to do my part.91裸聊视频�
I want to thank all the coaches who have spent there time and energy into recruiting me, I will always be grateful and humbled by the amount of recognition I91裸聊视频檝e gotten for my hard work! But to start my post secondary football career I will be playing for the Okanagan Sun!
91裸聊视频� Kyle Zakala (@zakala_kyle)
One of more than 40 newcomers at Sun training camp, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Zakala had an opportunity to take his skills to the U Sports level this season91裸聊视频攂oth Calgary and UBC were options91裸聊视频攂ut chose not to rush into a decision on his education. Remaining in his hometown and playing for his former high school coach was more than enough to convince Zakala to pull on a Sun jersey in 2018.
91裸聊视频淚 wasn91裸聊视频檛 100 per cent sure what I wanted to take (in university), I didn91裸聊视频檛 want to spend a lot of time and money on something I wasn91裸聊视频檛 sure about,91裸聊视频� said Zakala, whose older brother, Josh, is a national-calibre swimmer with the University of Victoria Vikes. 91裸聊视频淭he Sun is a great option until I figure it out91裸聊视频en is a great guy and a great coach, so it wasn91裸聊视频檛 a tough decision for me.91裸聊视频�
Zakala is among a formidable crop of rookies and newcomers expected to play key roles with the club in 2018.
Adding extra local flavour to the Sun91裸聊视频檚 receiving corps are Blaise Beauchemin91裸聊视频攁 teammate of Zakala91裸聊视频檚 at KSS91裸聊视频攁nd , a Mt. Boucherie Bears91裸聊视频� grad who spent one season with the McGill University Redmen in Montreal.
Macauley sees plenty of promise in all three athletes and expects them to fit in nicely with the Sun program.
91裸聊视频淜yle and Blaise, I coached both of them in high school so it91裸聊视频檚 nice to have that relationship and history,91裸聊视频� said Macauley, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Sun. 91裸聊视频淲ith all three of those guys, it just makes it logistically easier for the program. They can live at home and just come in here with a certain comfort level and hit the ground running.91裸聊视频�
Macauley sees Zakala91裸聊视频攚ho snared nine passes for 175 yards and scored three touchdowns with the Owls last season91裸聊视频攁s an impact player in his first season of junior football.
91裸聊视频淜yle is a guy we91裸聊视频檙e going to have a tough time taking off the field,91裸聊视频� Macauley said. 91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 a big target, tough to defend against if you put the ball up high for him. Smaller linebackers are going to find him to be a handful. We feel he91裸聊视频檚 going to contribute right away.91裸聊视频�
Beauchemin was a valuable jack-of-all-trades at KSS, playing at running back, receiver, quarterback, linebacker and defensive back. Last season, Beauchemin led the Owls with 461 yards rushing and five touchdowns, while hauling in 17 passes for 132 yards.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 an exceptional athlete,91裸聊视频� Macauley said of Beauchemin. 91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 really bright, a smart young man. This is a chance for him to get a couple of years of physical development in before he heads off to university without losing any eligibility.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 performed well in training camp, he91裸聊视频檚 made some great catches and is well-built physically for this level of football.91裸聊视频�
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Moore played the 2016 season at McGill, then took last year off to focus on school. He returned to Kelowna this summer with no specific plans for football91裸聊视频攗ntil some friends offered up a suggestion.
91裸聊视频淲e were just hanging out when one of the guys said, 91裸聊视频榃hy don91裸聊视频檛 you play with the Sun?91裸聊视频� Moore said. 91裸聊视频淪o I got in touch with Ben and it all just happened from there.
91裸聊视频淚t feels right, I feel good about it, I think my experience in the CIS (U Sports) helped me get on track,91裸聊视频� added Moore, 20. 91裸聊视频淭he talent here is really good, it looks like a CIS-level team with a winning mentality. We have a good coach, Ben has a good philosophy. Coming back to the Okanagan is nice, it91裸聊视频檒l be nice to play football in front of family and friends.91裸聊视频�
At just 5-foot-8, 156 pounds, Moore is undersized by junior football standards.
Still, what he lacks in physcial stature, Macauley believes Moore compensates for in talent, smarts and heart.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 an undersized guy, but he91裸聊视频檚 a playmaker,91裸聊视频� Macauley said. 91裸聊视频淗e plays above his height, he understands the game well and is very coachable. He91裸聊视频檚 a big team guy and doesn91裸聊视频檛 care how he fits in.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e always been undersized but that just adds fuel to my fire,91裸聊视频� Moore said. 91裸聊视频淚 play with a chip on my shoulder and I91裸聊视频檓 used to trying to prove people wrong. I have high expectations and I want to play.91裸聊视频�
Training camp continues this week for the Sun at the Apple Bowl/Parkinson fields.
Moore, Zakala, Beauchemin and the rest of the club will to take to the field on Saturday for a team scrimmage at 4 p.m.
The Sun will kick off the BCFC regular season Aug. 5 in Kamloops.
Back to back GOLD! Huge congrats to our guy and on their Gold Medal at the Word Junior Championship
91裸聊视频� Okanagan Sun (@okanagan_sun)
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