By Tim Switzer,
Regina Leader-Post
Regina Thunder training camp didn’t get off to the best of starts for safety Bryce McCall.
After arriving at the Thunder clubhouse Friday, he quickly realized he forgot his registration and medical forms and raced home to get them before he could take to the field.
When he did get on the field, it was only for a short while. McCall, 18, is still nursing a sore shoulder he injured while playing for Saskatchewan at the Canada Cup this month.
Don’t expect the bad luck to continue.
McCall was a break-out star with the Thunder last season, recording 41 tackles and two interceptions as a first-year player. He went on to win the Prairie Football Conference’s rookie-of-the-year award.
Thunder coaches expect McCall’s game to continue in that direction.
“He has more experience under his belt and the sky is the limit for him,” said defensive backs coach Brandon Chay. “If he can keep that rate going, he will be a very good player in this league. He already was last year. The more experience he gets on the field, the better he’ll get.”
Just where McCall intends to take his football career remains to be seen. Last season, the Riffel Royals grad seemed content to play out his five years in junior football and the see what his options were. Now he is thinking he might look at moving on to a CIS program at some point.
“I’m just doing it year-by-year and doing the best I can right now,” said McCall. “I’m not going to look too far ahead. I just want to keep this year in focus. Whatever happens in the future is for the future.”
Thunder head coach Erwin Klempner has often spoke of McCall having a shot at moving on from the PFC to the CFL, but wants the player to go where he wants.
“That’s his choice,” said Klempner. “(The CFL) is an option that he has. Because he’s with us he has the option to go into Rider training camps and go that route.
“Sometime in November or December we’ll sit down and talk about where he’s going and what he wants to do. If he goes the CFL route, it doesn’t mean we still don’t want him to go to school. We’re still looking for him to move into a situation where he can improve himself and get and education.”
For now, McCall will focus on training camp and the upcoming season. Regina lost a trio of veterans in the defensive backfield when Jon Krahenbil, Todd Kristoff and Jimi Cabylis moved on to university programs so McCall may have to jump into a leadership role.
“Last year I kind of stepped back and was doing my own thing,” said McCall. “This year I have to start helping other people out and making sure they’re in the right places. It’s a unit though. One player doesn’t make the whole defence go.”
And if anybody is suited to become a team leader and keep his spot as the quarterback of the defence, it’s McCall.
“Bryce does have that opportunity, without question and he takes that on willingly,” added Klempner. “He’s always at the workouts. He comes early and stays late. He’s a real team guy so we expect him to work real hard and lead with his actions, not with his mouth.”
NOTES: Stefan Endsin will take over as the quarterbacks coach for the Thunder this season. Offensive co-ordinator Gerry Thompson worked with the passers last season but will now look after the running backs. Cory Olynick had that job last season but returned to play with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers … The Thunder will hold back-to-back workouts on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8 a.m.
