Strong Okanagan representation for Kalamalka Bowl football showdown

The UBC vs U of C Kalamalka Bowl in Vernon will have plenty of Okanagan flavour.

The exhibition game between the University of Calgary Dinos and UBC Thunderbirds takes place Aug. 24 at Vernon Athletic Park, and a crowd of over 1,500 is expected.

Training camps begin in early August, so final rosters are not yet confirmed. However, there are a large number of players and coaches expected to compete in the Kalamalka Bowl with deep Okanagan roots, organizers say.

There are seven different Okanagan secondary schools potentially represented in the game between the two teams: Kelowna, Mount Boucherie (Kelowna), Okanagan Mission (Kelowna), Rutland (Kelowna), Salmon Arm, Valleyview (Kamloops), and Vernon. These include:

UBC Thunderbirds

• Brad Hladik, Vernon Secondary class of 2018
• Bear Akachuk, Rutland Secondary class of 2022
• Grady Klemke, OK Mission Secondary class of 2022
• Nicholas Stanfield, Mount Boucherie Secondary class of 2021
• Brandon Sanford, Salmon Arm Secondary class of 2017
• Lliam Wishart, Valleyview Secondary class of 2017

University of Calgary Dinos

• Josh Hyer, Vernon Secondary class of 2017
• Liam Reid, Vernon Secondary class of 2020
• Roan Reid, Vernon Secondary class of 2022
• Zack Smith, Vernon Secondary class of 2020
• Brady Szeman, Vernon Secondary class of 2020
• Isaac Athens, Kelowna Secondary class of 2020
• Nate Beauchemin, Kelowna Secondary class of 2021
• Easton Schmuland, Kelowna Secondary class of 2022
• Everett Schmuland, Kelowna Secondary class of 2020

In addition, there are also players and coaches who have roots with the Okanagan Sun junior football team or Kelowna Minor Football.

• Sam Carson, Kelowna Minor Football
• Matt Sibley, Okanagan Sun
• Daniel Townsend, Okanagan Sun

As well, Dinos assistant coaches Paul Carson and Nathan Mallard are both former Kelowna residents.

The last time the two teams met was in October 2021 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, where the Dinos came out on top with a convincing 52-14 victory.

The bowl game marks the first university football game to be hosted in the North Okanagan.

Over two days, there will also be a youth football skills camp, concert and meet and greet at Polson Park, featuring Cod Gone Wild, and a beer garden on game day by Okanagan Spring.

The Kalamalka Bowl Society hopes to make the event an annual occurrence, promoting growth of the game in the community.

Bleacher seats are sold out, but field-level tickets are available at https://kalbowl.com/.