Growing up in Kelowna, Kyle Zakala often envisioned the day he乌鸦传媒檇 step on to the gridiron wearing the colours of the 乌鸦传媒檚
That time has arrived for the 18-year-old receiver.
乌鸦传媒淚 remember when I was young, going to Sun games, really liking the team and thinking how much I乌鸦传媒檇 like to play for them one day,乌鸦传媒� said Zakala, who played for Sun head coach Ben Macauley at KSS. 乌鸦传媒淚t was a dream, I guess you could say.
乌鸦传媒淩ight now, I乌鸦传媒檓 really enjoying it,乌鸦传媒� added Zakala. 乌鸦传媒淭he players are all super good and nice to be around. I乌鸦传媒檓 looking forward to playing and definitely want to do my part.乌鸦传媒�
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 I乌鸦传媒檝e gotten for my hard work! But to start my post secondary football career I will be playing for the Okanagan Sun!
乌鸦传媒� 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 season乌鸦传媒攂oth Calgary and UBC were options乌鸦传媒攂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.
乌鸦传媒淚 wasn乌鸦传媒檛 100 per cent sure what I wanted to take (in university), I didn乌鸦传媒檛 want to spend a lot of time and money on something I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 sure about,乌鸦传媒� said Zakala, whose older brother, Josh, is a national-calibre swimmer with the University of Victoria Vikes. 乌鸦传媒淭he Sun is a great option until I figure it out乌鸦传媒en is a great guy and a great coach, so it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a tough decision for me.乌鸦传媒�
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 Sun乌鸦传媒檚 receiving corps are Blaise Beauchemin乌鸦传媒攁 teammate of Zakala乌鸦传媒檚 at KSS乌鸦传媒攁nd , a Mt. Boucherie Bears乌鸦传媒� 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.
乌鸦传媒淜yle and Blaise, I coached both of them in high school so it乌鸦传媒檚 nice to have that relationship and history,乌鸦传媒� said Macauley, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Sun. 乌鸦传媒淲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.乌鸦传媒�
Macauley sees Zakala乌鸦传媒攚ho snared nine passes for 175 yards and scored three touchdowns with the Owls last season乌鸦传媒攁s an impact player in his first season of junior football.
乌鸦传媒淜yle is a guy we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have a tough time taking off the field,乌鸦传媒� Macauley said. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 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 he乌鸦传媒檚 going to contribute right away.乌鸦传媒�
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.
乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 an exceptional athlete,乌鸦传媒� Macauley said of Beauchemin. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 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.
乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 performed well in training camp, he乌鸦传媒檚 made some great catches and is well-built physically for this level of football.乌鸦传媒�
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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 football乌鸦传媒攗ntil some friends offered up a suggestion.
乌鸦传媒淲e were just hanging out when one of the guys said, 乌鸦传媒榃hy don乌鸦传媒檛 you play with the Sun?乌鸦传媒� Moore said. 乌鸦传媒淪o I got in touch with Ben and it all just happened from there.
乌鸦传媒淚t feels right, I feel good about it, I think my experience in the CIS (U Sports) helped me get on track,乌鸦传媒� added Moore, 20. 乌鸦传媒淭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, it乌鸦传媒檒l be nice to play football in front of family and friends.乌鸦传媒�
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.
乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 an undersized guy, but he乌鸦传媒檚 a playmaker,乌鸦传媒� Macauley said. 乌鸦传媒淗e plays above his height, he understands the game well and is very coachable. He乌鸦传媒檚 a big team guy and doesn乌鸦传媒檛 care how he fits in.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e always been undersized but that just adds fuel to my fire,乌鸦传媒� Moore said. 乌鸦传媒淚 play with a chip on my shoulder and I乌鸦传媒檓 used to trying to prove people wrong. I have high expectations and I want to play.乌鸦传媒�
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
乌鸦传媒� Okanagan Sun (@okanagan_sun)
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