233063
227566
BCFC  

Sun aim high at camp

Okanagan Sun training camp preview

The Okanagan Sun are setting their sights high as they open training camp this weekend.

The club is looking for its first B.C. Football Conference title since 2004.

Several dozen recruits and veterans are expected to attend the main camp, which opens with a players meeting at 9 a.m. Saturday. Players will then test and practice at the Apple Bowl until 1 p.m.

Practice will resume Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Shane Beatty, entering his third season as head coach, expects competition to be fierce at each position.

No less than 10 players will be fighting for starting assignments on the defensive line, including returners Jonas Gering and Lucas Machado. All 10 players are at least six-foot-three and 240 pounds.

Beatty believes there are a number of players on the defensive side of the ball who have CFL potential. 

“Our DBs are loaded. You look at Matt McConnell, Beck Fullerton, Brennan Van Nistelrooy and Jamie Turek – I mean that’s a lot of competition," said Beatty.

There are four highly touted running backs in camp and a number of talented receivers. 

“We recruited 34 kids and signed 33 of them, so if you look at those numbers, it’s pretty impressive ... we feel really good about our nucleus."

The Sun topped the BCFC regular season standings with a 9-1 record, but fell at home to the Langley Rams in the title game.

Following main camp, final cuts will take place, then the club will practise five and six days a week, preparing for its home opener on July 25, when the Sun host the Westshore Rebels at 7 p.m. at the Apple Bowl.

COMMENTS WELCOME

Comments are pre-moderated to ensure they meet our guidelines. Approval times will vary. Keep it civil, and stay on topic. If you see an inappropriate comment, please use the ‘flag’ feature. Comments are the opinions of the comment writer, not of Castanet. Comments remain open for one day after a story is published and are closed on weekends. Visit Castanet’s Forums to start or join a discussion about this story.



More BCFC articles