The rejuvenation of the North Battleford High School Vikings' football program and the dedication to improvement and success is something the coaching staff is proud to be a part of. More of the Vikings players are buying into the idea that football is a year round sport despite the schedule running only a few short months.
April 30 and May 1, 10 Vikings players strapped on the shoulder pads and took in the annual Kelly Bates Football Camp. The camp has become the most popular camp for football players in Grades 9 to 11 in the province.
Bates, an assistant coach with the B.C. Lions, played for four CFL teams including a brief stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2010. The sixth year of the camp, which is held annually in Bates' hometown of Humboldt, attracted coaches and players from CFL, university and high school teams.
Joining Bates were former CFLer and current Calgary Stampeders offensive coach Dave Dickenson, Craig Dickenson, special teams co-ordinator of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Jason Clermont, Marcus Adams and Neal Hughes of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Elliot Richardson of the Edmonton Eskimos. Chris Warneke of the University of Regina, Taylor Wallace a University of Saskatchewan alumni member, Trevor Bates of the Aden Bowman Bears, Kyle Stroeder of the Nipawin Bears, Bill Eng of the Marion Graham Falcons and provincial champion coach of the Humboldt Mohawks and former NBCHS Viking Shaun Gardiner were also in attendance to pass on their knowledge of the game and teach the future Saskatchewan football stars.
Gardiner was not the only player to have once worn the NBCHS Vikings uniform. Current assistant coach and former NBCHS Viking Mike Humenny took 10 players to the camp. Humenny said the players all performed well.
Spencer Cave, who played linebacker for the senior Vikings last season, earned a positional award at the conclusion of the camp. Jordan Elliot, an offensive lineman with the senior Vikings, and Joey Carriere, a full back with the junior Vikings, also received top positional awards.
The other Vikings at the province-wide camp included Eric Charabin and Lyle Stepanic, receivers with the 2010 senior Vikings, Bryan Hodgins, junior Vikings' quarterback, Taylor Reiley and Dion Tederoff, junior Vikings' tailbacks, Troy Gartner a defensive back with the junior Vikings and Blaze Steinkey.
The next football experience for these and any other players expecting to play high school football next season is the Football Saskatchewan I.D. Camp in Unity Saturday.
