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V.I. Raiders vets expected to set tempo

Spring camp is traditionally the first step in football season, but the V.I. Raiders expect to be a step ahead already.

The city’s Canadian Junior Football League team opened its three-day spring camp yesterday at Nanaimo District Secondary School field. The team brought in fewer than in past years so that it can spend this weekend teaching rather than evaluating.

Many returning veterans will be expected to set the tone this weekend, and they should be ready to do just that. Quarterback Jordan Yantz, for example, spent his off-season in Nanaimo rather than back home in Saskatchewan so he could continually work with Raiders receivers.

Even though a lot of vets have their roster spots pretty much sewn up, they’re still expected to suit up and play hard this weekend, said Matthew “Snoop” Blokker, Raiders coach.

“If you’re going to show the newer players that are coming to town what our work ethic’s about, it’s got to be 100 per cent,” he said. “We’re not going to accept anything else, and our players don’t know any other way.”

GRID BITS … The Raiders will play their annual spring camp intrasquad game Sunday (May 15) at 1 p.m. at NDSS field.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com