The St. Paul Lions are preparing early for the upcoming 2011/12 season and will be holding a spring training camp between May 12-June 3, which will include a jamboree-style tournament with teams from the Wheatland Football League participating on the 28th.
The team has lost a lot of starters from last season, including its starting quarterback, all three of the starting linebackers and a significant number of lineman on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball, said Lions co-head coach and defensive coach Todd Tanasichuk. However, Tanasichuk is excited about the young crop of players he has coming up through the ranks.
“This group coming up from Grade 9 into Grade 10 is a very special group, they’re just different, they love football,” said Tanasichuk. “You got other kids who like football, but I’ve never seen so many kids that are just so hungry to go.
“We’re very excited about this year.”
The team’s most valuable player last season was Grade 11 wide receiver Mark Proskiw, said Tanasichuk. The key this season is whether or not one of the potential quarterbacks can step up and be the one to put the ball in their star receiver’s hands.
Brenden Mckay and Dominic Dion are set to battle it out for the starting quarterback job. Mckay was the starting quarterback for the St. Paul Bengals last season. He helped take the bantam team on its incredible run to the tier three provincial finals last season against the Calgary Colts. The team came up short, losing 37-14.
“He’s (Brenden) already shown that he’s got the arm strength to step in and throw at the high school level but he’s got to get used to the game speed as it’s way faster than bantam,” said Tanasichuk.
As a grade 10 athlete, Dion played starting defensive halfback last season with the Lions, as well as back-up quarterback. Dion is one of the most versatile players on the team and if the situation calls for Mckay to start as quarterback, Dion will be counted on to play a big role on defense, Tanasichuk said. But at this stage, Tanasichuk said the battle for quarterback is wide open.
“Dominic is a great athlete and he’s got a rocket for an arm,” said Tanasichuk. “We got to wait and see.”
This will be the second season the teams will have their brand-new $250,000 clubhouse.
Inside, the building is split with the Bengals on one side and the Lions on the other. The clubhouse has gone a long way in bringing the team together, said Tanasichuk. Especially when compared to their old, much smaller change room.
“For years we never had a place of our own at the school,” said Tanasichuk. “ It made a huge difference, even with just camaraderie. Here, (old locker room) the boys just wanted to get out as soon as they could.”
Registration starts on May 6 from 6-8 p.m. and again on May 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lions/Bengals clubhouse, along the east side of the Regional High School.
