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J.C. Boice could probably sell sand in the desert, he鈥檚 that convincing.
The Westshore Rebels head football coach certainly sold his sa国际传媒 Football Conference program in the off-season, managing to recruit back even more talented Canadian Interuniversity Sport players on both sides of the ball.
Strengthening a team that has finished 2-8 the past three years running was the goal and the second-year coach, who will run the offence, has added Shane Beatty as his associate head man. Beatty, who led the Okanagan Sun to a perfect 10-0 record and to the CJFL championship game last year, will look after the defence.
The 2016 season kicks off today at 4 p.m. as Nathan Lund and the highly touted Langley Rams come calling at Westhills Stadium, but the work has not stopped since last season ended.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited. We鈥檝e made the investment. We鈥檝e put in the facilities,鈥� Boice said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had buy-in from the kids 鈥� they鈥檙e working 鈥� and we鈥檝e upgraded our coaching staff. Coach Beatty is a force of nature and, while we don鈥檛 always have the same approach, he loves these kids. He knows the game and I don鈥檛 think anybody in football works as hard as we are right now.鈥�
Players have responded. The fact that athletes such as offensive lineman Aarmin Purewal and quarterback Ashton Mackinnon (both Mount Douglas Rams standouts) returned home last season from CIS has opened the floodgates. This year, former Rams stars Christian Krause (at OL) and Byron Mackinnon (DL) have opted to stay home and play, and not return to Manitoba and Guelph, respectively. But that鈥檚 just the tip of the iceberg as former sa国际传媒 high school star runningback Jamel Lyles left Manitoba as well.
Throw in Jeremie Drouin and Tyson Thompson (both DL Bishop鈥檚), Shaun Robinson DL (Mount Allison), Scott Borden (QB Saint Mary鈥檚), Kent Hicks (DL Manitoba) and Lerenzo Ihanza (Rec/KR Manitoba) and optimism reigns supreme. The Rebels are also big on RBs Trey Campbell of Toronto and Aiden Enns-Horvath of Alberta, and DL Connor Whitney of Winnipeg.
Then there are returning players such as James Bradley, Jake Hall, Conor Bryan, Darcy Cherneff, Tyler Leader, Tyson Morison, Matt Pastro, Brody Uddenberg, Pato Vega, Cody Wist and Jordan Worth 鈥� just to name a few.
鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely more athletic,鈥� said Boice, who was pleased with the recruiting process. 鈥淭he carry-over kids have done a good job of getting in shape and raising their football acumen, and we鈥檝e brought in some good players. We are very physical up front on both sides of the football.
鈥淐oach Beatty and I have skill sets that we鈥檙e excited to pass on to the kids. We have the facilities now, so we can do three things 鈥� help them move to CIS, some will move down south to the U.S. and I think we鈥檒l have a couple of kids go straight to the CFL. I think these kids would rather play here in Victoria than in the cold or out East.鈥�
Purewal was sold, remaining at home for another year of junior. The six-foot-five, 285-pound lineman took in the sa国际传媒 Lions鈥� evaluation camp and is one player Boice believes can land in the CFL.
鈥淭he bridge from pro and junior is getting shorter and the coaching is just getting better,鈥� said Purewal, 20. 鈥淲e, here, are basically a CIS team with the coaching, facilities and all the resources we need. That鈥檚 why they鈥檙e coming here to play.
鈥淗e [Boice] sold his program to us and we鈥檙e aiming for the stars,鈥� Purewal added. 鈥淲hen you have a chance to win a national championship, you can鈥檛 leave your own city. I feel like we have players, across the board, who are ready to compete for a national championship.鈥�
Lofty goals, indeed, especially for a team that has not made BCFC playoffs in three years. But Boice has them believing.
POINT AFTER: The Vancouver Island Raiders defeated the Kamloops Broncos 37-14 in the BCFC season-opener in Nanaimo on Saturday.
