Standout linebacker Jake Nylund is not travelling in the August heat to Quebec today (Friday) with the 30-plus other Terry Fox Raven football players.
Instead, he's staying home -- thinking about December.
That's when Nylund figures his team has a legitimate shot at dethroning the Vancouver College Fighting Irish -- whom they finished provincial runners up to last year -- in the B.C. AAA senior high school football championship game. Or anybody else whom the Ravens cross paths with, for that matter.
"There's a lot of work to be done but I think we'll do fine," Nylund said after an intense, sweltering day at summer training camp Wednesday at Fox Oval. "It's stepping stones, right? Every day you get better. We're coming together. Our defence is playing really well. Offence, it takes longer to click but it will come."
The Ravens are engaging in an government-sponsored week-long exchange trip with the Nouvelle Frontiers from Gatineau, Que. in preparation for the upcoming season. Nylund elected not to go after he and two other Ravens competed for Team BC at the recent Canada Cup U-18 tournament in Lethbridge, Alta.
"I have no idea what their quality is," Fox co-head coach Tom Kudaba said of the Frontiers. "The original school that was supposed to host us backed out and they filled in. We'll wait and see." Fox will also play Ottawa's St. Mark, whom they met via the same program the last two summers.
