When the B.C. Lions selected him in the eighth round (69th overall) in the 2019 CFL Draft in early May, was enjoying a meal at a Boston Pizza restaurant in Fleetwood, a neighbourhood in Surrey, where he felt both elation and disappointment.
For the Surrey-raised running back, getting picked by his hometown team was a real thrill.
害羞草研究所淚t was an exhilarating feeling,害羞草研究所� Lyles recalled, 害羞草研究所渂ut also I was a bit upset not hearing my name called earlier than expected, you know what I mean, but that害羞草研究所檚 just more fuel for the fire, right.
害羞草研究所淏ut I害羞草研究所檓 honestly just happy to get an opportunity, and getting the call from B.C. 害羞草研究所� oh man, my whole family just lost it and it didn害羞草研究所檛 even feel real at first, to be honest with you.害羞草研究所�
First to call was , the Lions legend, who now works as the team害羞草研究所檚 director of Canadian scouting and draft co-ordinator.
害羞草研究所淕oing to kids camps when I was younger, Geroy was always there, talking 害羞草研究所� those the Lions did, remember those?害羞草研究所� Lyles said with a smile. 害羞草研究所淚t was just an amazing thing, and I promised him and everyone else that I害羞草研究所檇 come here to work every single day, and that I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 take it for granted害羞草研究所� I just thanked (Lions management) for the opportunity and told them I害羞草研究所檇 be one of the best draft picks they害羞草研究所檇 get this year, that I害羞草研究所檇 work hard, day in and day out.害羞草研究所�
Lyles害羞草研究所� path to a career in the CFL is still in a holding pattern, as the raw rookie hasn害羞草研究所檛 yet played a regular-season game with the Lions. He didn害羞草研究所檛 dress for the team害羞草研究所檚 (June 15), and won害羞草研究所檛 fly to Edmonton for Friday night害羞草研究所檚 fight with the Eskimos, either.
Still watching, he害羞草研究所檚 waiting for his chance to shine in the brightest spotlight pro football has to offer in Canada.
On Monday (June 17), Lyles practiced hard at the Lions害羞草研究所� training facility in Surrey 害羞草研究所� across the street from where he used to play baseball. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a crazy connection, too,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 so close, it害羞草研究所檚 almost like d茅j脿 vu being out here.害羞草研究所�
On the football field, he害羞草研究所檚 getting his reps in hopes of getting his first real start with the squad, after showing well in the pre-season.
Surrey-raised (#26 in orange, RB) getting reps at Lions practice Monday following the team害羞草研究所檚 loss to Winnipeg at home Saturday night.
害羞草研究所� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)
The gridiron in Whalley isn害羞草研究所檛 far from Fleetwood, where Lyles grew up and where his 害羞草研究所渂rother,害羞草研究所� close friend Jaylen Sandhu, was stabbed to death in December 2014, in the 16300-block of 88th Avenue.
Turns out, much of Lyles害羞草研究所� motivation to make it as a pro football player has much to do with the death of Sandhu, who was 17. His killer, equal his age at the time, was later sentenced to eight years in prison.
害羞草研究所� RELATED STORY: , from 2017.
With mothers as best friends and neighbours, Jamel and Jaylen played football together for close to a decade, on minor teams with the North Surrey association.
Today, Lyles said not a day goes by when he doesn害羞草研究所檛 think of Sandhu.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 still with me on the daily,害羞草研究所� Lyles said. 害羞草研究所淎t the end of the day, when I害羞草研究所檓 down and out and having a hard day and thinking football might not work out, he害羞草研究所檚 there, he害羞草研究所檚 in the back of my head saying, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檙e not giving up, you害羞草研究所檝e been wanting this since you were a little kid at North Surrey.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淎nd now, look where I am today, and some of that is because of him, you know what I mean. And I had a close friend group that was always in my ear, too, telling me I had talent and that I was more than just an average player, so they were there too, along with Jaylen.害羞草研究所�
For a few years, in junior and during his time with the University of Manitoba Bisons, Lyles often wore one of Jaylen害羞草研究所檚 shirts when he played, as a reminder of his dead buddy.
害羞草研究所淚t was a Calvin Klein shirt he used to wear, his favourite, because he was always a big fashion guy,害羞草研究所� Lyles explained. 害羞草研究所淚 was really upset when this happened, because one time someone grabbed it and completely ripped it, shredded it, while I was playing. But I still have the shirt hanging in my room, I just can害羞草研究所檛 wear it no more. And even now I害羞草研究所檓 trying to pay tribute to what he liked, his style, so I害羞草研究所檓 slowing getting into that fashion interests,害羞草研究所� he added with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淓ven with my hair, my dreads now. That害羞草研究所檚 where my power comes from, my strength.害羞草研究所�
For Lyles, another source of inspiration is his mother, Sharon, who raised him on her own, pretty much.
害羞草研究所淣one of this would be possible it wasn害羞草研究所檛 for my mother, and saying I love her is an understatement, you know what I mean,害羞草研究所� Lyles said. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 gone through so much, without telling me, just so I can play football.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淓ven when I was at university,害羞草研究所� he added, 害羞草研究所渟he always made sure I could have a little money to at least support myself, because going to school in Canada is pretty hard with the financial support system, but yeah 害羞草研究所� she害羞草研究所檚 someone I really admire, probably my greatest role model. She害羞草研究所檚 always willing to put others before herself, so I ended up picking up that trait, and I just thank her for everything she害羞草研究所檚 done for me.害羞草研究所�
CFL Debut
害羞草研究所� j伪m褦l l褔l褦s (@Jamel_Lyles22)
6 carries 54 yards
S/o to my people in the 604 鉁婐煆�
June.7th @ BC Place 7 pm
Kurt Thornton, who coached Lyles at Tweedsmuir in Cloverdale, was at BC Place Saturday to take in the Lions game and show support for his former player, who appreciated the gesture.
Thornton raved about Lyles害羞草研究所� work ethic.
害羞草研究所淗e was a tremendous high school football player,害羞草研究所� the coach said, 害羞草研究所渁nd one of the best things about Jamel is that he loves the training part of football. He put in time in the weight room and he was busting his butt in there. He ended up having a dominant year in his Grade 12 year.害羞草研究所�
The six-foot Lyles, who will turn 23 on Aug. 12, , from North Surrey to Cloverdale to Manitoba to Victoria, back to Manitoba, now to Vancouver and, for practices, Whalley. In and around the team害羞草研究所檚 Surrey hub, he害羞草研究所檚 become a bit of a tour guide for some of his teammates, many of whom also live nearby.
I am proud and unbelievably grateful to officially say I am apart of the Lions den. I want to thank the entire organization for the opportunity to play the game I love; you got yourself a savage. Now the real work starts 馃尮
害羞草研究所� j伪m褦l l褔l褦s (@Jamel_Lyles22)
馃抠:
On the field, though, it害羞草研究所檚 all business for #26, who害羞草研究所檇 favoured #22 until he got to the Lions and learned that jersey number was retired in honour of 害羞草研究所�60s-era QB Joe Kapp.
害羞草研究所淐oach Clay (DeVone Claybrooks) just tells me to keep working, that it害羞草研究所檚 going to be a long process, you know what I mean 害羞草研究所� everybody goes through this, especially as a rookie,害羞草研究所� Lyles said. 害羞草研究所淚 just have to keep working on things I can control and get better day by day and not take a day off. The coaches, they really understand my situation and do see my potential, and I害羞草研究所檓 just blessed to play for my hometown. It害羞草研究所檚 a great opportunity and I just promise to keep working.害羞草研究所�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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