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