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Lions show locals the ropes |
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Written by TED CLARKE, Citizen staff
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Monday, 12 May 2008 |
B.C. Lions linebacker Tyson Craiggs works with kids during Saturday’s Play With Pros football camp, held at the fieldhouse at the Northern Sport Centre. Sixty football players came out for the event.
He just loves the hitting aspect of the game.
Still two months shy of his 12th birthday, Cruse stood out as one of the biggest and most enthusiastic players of 60 who signed up for the B.C. Lions Play With Pros introductory skills camp Saturday at the Northern Sport Centre.
Cruse was impressed with the efforts of the Lions -- quarterback Gino Guidugli, kicker Sean Whyte and linebacker Tyson Craiggs -- to explain some aspects of the game, backed by coaches from the Prince George Minor Football Association and Prince George high school players who helped conduct the drills at the Sport Centre fieldhouse.
“It was fun training with the B.C. Lions,” said Cruse, a five-foot-five, 169-pound junior bantam player in the PGMFA.
“I liked the running back session and the quarterback session. I like hitting, and you don’t have to be big to hit. We had one guy on our (peewee) team last year -- his name is Mitchell -- he hit the hardest on our team and he was only about four-foot-five.”
As an aspiring middle linebacker, Cruse took pointers from all three Lions.
“Tyson taught me a bit about movement and being aware of stuff on the field, Gino showed me how to throw the ball better, and Sean taught me how to kick, and I really suck at kicking,” Cruse said.
The two-hour hour camp was sponsored by the PGMFA and Football B.C.
Craiggs, a four-year veteran of the CFL who grew up in Burnaby, enjoyed his time with the kids. The 26-year-old long-snap specialist has fond memories of going through similar camps in Vancouver as a kid.
“It’s been great being out here with the kids, just showing them a bit -- it’s good for the mind getting ready for our (Lions) camp,” said Craiggs, who didn’t let a broken finger he hurt in the weight room get in the way of his attendance at the camp.
“If we can give the kids any guidance at all, it just feels good and it’s a great cause. They really amazed me how much they follow us, being so far away. There are a lot of Lions fans up here.”
A member of that club is 12-year-old Connor Sarrazin. As an aspiring pro football receiver, Sarrazin left the field stoked that there might one day be a place for him in the CFL.
“I liked how the coaches were really friendly -- it was pretty fun and I didn’t feel intimidated,” said Sarrazin.
“(Meeting the Lions players) made pro football seem a little less private, less out of reach for me.”
Having the Lions in attendance was a huge plus for camp organizer Grant Erickson. The camp was geared to kids aged six to 12 and Erickson hopes it will become an annual event with Lions players as return guests.
“This is the first time we’ve ever put anything on like this and I don’t think there’s any kid leaving here without a big smile on their face,” said Erickson. “Having the Lions here shows the kids they’re real individuals. When they come face to face with them they realize they’re just people and anything’s possible.
“There were probably a dozen kids here who had never tried football before and as they can see, it’s not that hard of a thing to do. The biggest thing is getting over that initial challenge of trying something new, and once they’re out here, they can’t help but have fun. It’s a great sport.”
The league used the opportunity Saturday to sign up new players. Erickson expects the PGMFA to grow from about 500 players last year to 600 by the time the season starts in August.
“We just need to secure the coaching staff for all the teams, we’re always looking for people to join the football family,” said Erickson. “So whatever capacity people have to help out, even if it’s just somebody to just stand around and hold a blocking bag, it’s so much more effective when there are more people around.”
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Last Updated ( Monday, 12 May 2008 )
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