Growing up in 91大黄鸭, Kyle Zakala often envisioned the day he鈥檇 step on to the gridiron wearing the colours of the 鈥檚
That time has arrived for the 18-year-old receiver.
鈥淚 remember when I was young, going to Sun games, really liking the team and thinking how much I鈥檇 like to play for them one day,鈥� said Zakala, who played for Sun head coach Ben Macauley at KSS. 鈥淚t was a dream, I guess you could say.
鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 really enjoying it,鈥� added Zakala. 鈥淭he players are all super good and nice to be around. I鈥檓 looking forward to playing and definitely want to do my part.鈥�
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鈥檝e gotten for my hard work! But to start my post secondary football career I will be playing for the Okanagan Sun!
鈥� 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鈥攂oth Calgary and UBC were options鈥攂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.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 100 per cent sure what I wanted to take (in university), I didn鈥檛 want to spend a lot of time and money on something I wasn鈥檛 sure about,鈥� said Zakala, whose older brother, Josh, is a national-calibre swimmer with the University of Victoria Vikes. 鈥淭he Sun is a great option until I figure it out鈥en is a great guy and a great coach, so it wasn鈥檛 a tough decision for me.鈥�
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鈥檚 receiving corps are Blaise Beauchemin鈥攁 teammate of Zakala鈥檚 at KSS鈥攁nd , a Mt. Boucherie Bears鈥� 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.
鈥淜yle and Blaise, I coached both of them in high school so it鈥檚 nice to have that relationship and history,鈥� said Macauley, who is entering his third season at the helm of the Sun. 鈥淲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.鈥�
Macauley sees Zakala鈥攚ho snared nine passes for 175 yards and scored three touchdowns with the Owls last season鈥攁s an impact player in his first season of junior football.
鈥淜yle is a guy we鈥檙e going to have a tough time taking off the field,鈥� Macauley said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 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鈥檚 going to contribute right away.鈥�
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.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an exceptional athlete,鈥� Macauley said of Beauchemin. 鈥淗e鈥檚 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.
鈥淗e鈥檚 performed well in training camp, he鈥檚 made some great catches and is well-built physically for this level of football.鈥�
ALSO READ: Highly-sought pivot brings talents, experience to Sun
Moore played the 2016 season at McGill, then took last year off to focus on school. He returned to 91大黄鸭 this summer with no specific plans for football鈥攗ntil some friends offered up a suggestion.
鈥淲e were just hanging out when one of the guys said, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you play with the Sun?鈥� Moore said. 鈥淪o I got in touch with Ben and it all just happened from there.
鈥淚t feels right, I feel good about it, I think my experience in the CIS (U Sports) helped me get on track,鈥� added Moore, 20. 鈥淭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鈥檒l be nice to play football in front of family and friends.鈥�
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.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an undersized guy, but he鈥檚 a playmaker,鈥� Macauley said. 鈥淗e plays above his height, he understands the game well and is very coachable. He鈥檚 a big team guy and doesn鈥檛 care how he fits in.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e always been undersized but that just adds fuel to my fire,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚 play with a chip on my shoulder and I鈥檓 used to trying to prove people wrong. I have high expectations and I want to play.鈥�
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
鈥� Okanagan Sun (@okanagan_sun)
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>
whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
