Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
Day two of the Tiger-Cats training camp has come and gone, and the blistering heat wasn’t enough to keep the rookie hopefuls off the field.
Two rookies in particular feel right at home at Ron Joyce Stadium; offensive lineman Jason Medeiros and defensive back Mike Daly. Both players were members of the Marauders football team which captured a Vanier Cup in 2011, and just narrowly missed a repeat last year against Laval.
Both players were also named first team OUA All-Stars in 2011 and 2012, and the two have the benefit of practicing on the field where they won so many games as Marauders.
Medeiros is particularly comfortable in this year’s camp. Though technically a rookie, he was also signed in 2012 and spent several weeks on the Tiger-Cats practice roster before returning to McMaster for his senior season.
That experience was invaluable for the Hamilton native, as it gives him a leg up on some of the ‘true rookies,’ who are taking part in a CFL camp for the very first time.
“I definitely got used to the speed of the game last year, because it’s a big jump from CIS to the pros,” said Medeiros. “These young guys are feeling that for the first time now and I got to feel it last year, so it’s a good change for me this season.”
Daly, a sixth round selection of the Ticats in the 2013 CFL draft, is taking part in the first professional camp of his career. However, practising on the same turf where he played his CIS football has certainly eased his nerves, and kept his mind on the field.
“It is definitely an easier transition being here than if I were to go out west or out east for camp,” Daly said. “I see people I know, guys from football who come out here to support me, it’s nice to be at Mac.”
That sentiment was echoed by Medeiros, who has spent his whole life in the Hamilton area. “It feels like home” he said.
Though neither would admit that having camp take place at their Alma Mater gave them an advantage over the other rookies in camp, their comfort on familiar turf was obvious.
But what is even more important than having training camp on a familiar field for these two Ticat hopefuls is the potential to play for a football franchise which is so close to home.
“I grew up watching the Ticats, they were always my favourite team as a kid, so to be able to play for them and stay close to my family, there’s nothing I want more,” Medeiros said.
With such a large group of rookies competing for a limited number of roster spots, both Medeiros and Daly will need to thoroughly impress Head Coach and General Manager Kent Austin. However, playing in familiar surroundings gives these two prospects home-field advantage, and they’ll hope to use that comfort level to secure roles with the Black and Gold when camp breaks later this month.
