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Squamish鈥檚 Adam Stangowitz received arguably his best birthday present ever when he turned 18 on June 1 this year 鈥� an invitation to join the Canadian Junior Football League鈥檚 (CJFL) Kamloops Broncos.听
It might not be a new video game or iPod for the 2014 Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS) grad, but it鈥檒l be a new team, a new city and a new position on the gridiron for him and it鈥檚 all thanks to this past March鈥檚 Senior Bowl.
Stangowitz spent most of his time on the Howe Sound Sounders as a nose tackle and tight end, but he quickly made the switch to defensive end after advice from Football B.C. officials and it turned out to be the right choice.
The 麻豆社国产native fit in perfectly in his new position on the day of the big game, picking up two sacks and attracting the interest of football scouts throughout the province. Stangowitz said attending additional camps helped get his name out there.
鈥淐oming from a small school like HSSS, there鈥檚 really no exposure for us to higher-level football programs,鈥� he said, noting he attended camps in B.C. and Alberta to work on his game. 鈥淭he Senior Bowl is really where it all happened for me. I ended up starting and held my own at the game and then I started getting offers from junior teams to come to their camps.鈥�
But it was the Kamloops Broncos that piqued his interest.听
鈥淎bout a week after the Senior Bowl, the Kamloops coach called me and said he had watched me online and liked what he saw,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e told me that he had a spot for me and that their defensive ends were leaving and it gave me a good chance to get some playing time 鈥� that鈥檚 one of the main reasons why I chose to go to Kamloops.鈥�
The Broncos joined the CJFL in 2007 and in 2013 made the club鈥檚 first-ever playoff appearance. Stangowitz said he鈥檚 excited to be part of the mix with the squad.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to get a good opportunity to play and it鈥檚 relatively new and rebuilding program,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd they have a great facility. I鈥檇 say it鈥檚 the No. 1 facility in the league.鈥�
Kamloops plays on a field located on the grounds of Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and Stangowitz said the plan is to play two seasons with the Broncos and take classes at TRU before eventually moving on to a bigger football program in the CIS. Players have seven years of eligibility to play in the CIS and are able to do any sort of combination of years in conjunction with the CJFL.
鈥淜amloops has been very accommodating with me and helping out with my housing and potential employment,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really ecstatic to be going to Kamloops.鈥�
He admitted it will be a challenge moving to the CJFL, where players range in age from 17 to 22.
鈥淚n high school I was one of the biggest guys around but all of a sudden you鈥檙e not the biggest, fastest or strongest again 鈥� you鈥檙e at the bottom of the barrel,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to have to work on my technique, my footwork and leverage to use everything I have to my advantage.鈥�
Stangowitz said his goal is to start for the Broncos this year but knows it will require a lot of hard work.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to have to work harder than everyone else,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not saying I鈥檓 going to start but I鈥檓 going to work the hardest I can to get to where I want to be.鈥�
Main camp for the Broncos starts on July 7 and Stangowitz said he hopes to be settled in Kamloops by the start of July. The first home regular season game occurs on July 26 and then the Broncos have games in Chilliwack and Langley in August.听
He said it鈥檚 an exciting time, but that he never would have had these chances without the Sounders football program.
鈥淚 have to give all the credit to Howe Sound and to coaches Jim Errington, Vincent Fecteau and Rob Ryan,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 always believe in myself, but they always did. And the support I got from my friends and family was just fantastic. Football has kept me straight and Howe Sound helped me fuel my football dream 鈥� now I鈥檓 one step closer.鈥�
For more information on the Broncos, visit www.kamloopsbroncos.com.
