Tyson Thompson might have to brush up on his French language skills this fall, but thankfully for him, the language of football is universal.
The 2013 Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS) grad and star with the Howe Sound Sounders football club has committed to Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Que., and he told The Chief he's excited to follow in the footsteps of both his dad and uncle.
Bishop's has a lot of family history for Thompson but there was considerable interest for the 6-foot-6, 250-pound lineman from both Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the University of British Columbia (UBC).
At the start of the year I applied at Bishop's and they expressed interest in me, he said. It's always been my first option. My dad and uncle played there.
Thompson grabbed the attention of UBC and SFU after strong showings at a testing combine in February and at the Senior Bowl in March. He was named the top defensive line practice player at the Senior Bowl event.
Both [SFU and UBC] offered me a spot on their football team, he said. They told me they thought I had a lot of potential and offered me a roster spot. I was pretty excited, but I knew Bishop's was still interested in me. To get an offer from those two teams from just a combine showing made me pretty happy.
He spent several weeks mulling all three options, but in the end the education choices helped make up his mind to go to Bishop's.
I was accepted for the sport science program at Bishop's and the education choice played a huge factor, he said, noting that he was looking at the political science program at SFU. I think my family was really happy I chose Bishop's.
Football has been a lifelong passion for Thompson. He played in the GSL starting at the age of seven and continued until Grade 8. When he reached Grade 9, Thompson started on the Sounders an incredibly rare feat as most starters on the team are either in Grade 11 or 12.
He said HSSS coaches Rob Ryan and Jim Errington helped him develop.
Coach Rob is always encouraging and his passion is huge, he said. Coach Jim is great at helping us be prepared and he pushed me to go the Senior Bowl which ended up being a really good thing.
Thompson said he's likely going to be an offensive or defensive tackle at Bishop's and hopes to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and grandfather and one day reach the CFL. His uncle Jake Vaughan suited up for the Toronto Argonauts, while his grandfather Kaye Vaughan is a member of the CFL Hall of Fame, having starred in the 1950s and 1960s with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
It would be huge if I could play in the CFL one day, he said. Scouts say my potential is up to how hard I work and I have to be willing to put in the effort.
He pointed out that Bishop's has helped develop several CFL players, including former B.C. Lion Shawn Gore. He also said he looks up to Grey Cup Champion Joe Eppele, who has helped prove that 麻豆社国产football talent exists.
I've never met him, but he's definitely a good role model, he said. He makes you believe in what you're doing and that you can accomplish anything, even if you're from Squamish.
Thompson will head to Sherbrooke later this summer, with the first game for the Bishop's Gaiters set to take place in August. For more information on the team, visit www.gaiters.ca.
