Key Takeaways:
- The Saskatoon Hilltops began their training camp at Ron Atchison Field, marking the start of a long road to the Canadian Junior Football League Championship.
- According to Sargeant, the team values the pressure to perform well as well as the community’s attention.
- According to Sargeant, the defensive front seven are fired up and ready to go, but there will be some competition in the defensive backfield.
On Monday, the Saskatoon Hilltops kicked up their training camp at Ron Atchison Field, beginning a long journey toward the Canadian Junior Football League Championship.
Konner Johnson, a fourth-year linebacker and long-snapper, said, “We’re pretty excited. It’s been eight months since we’ve had to slam the pads about. We are aware of our objectives, and since we failed to meet them the previous year, they are undoubtedly still in our thoughts.
The Hilltops have won 6 of the last 7 Canadian Junior Football League championships, but following a dismal conclusion to the 2021 season, the team’s players claim they still have much to show. The eventual league winners, the Langley Rams, defeated the Hilltops 17–14.
Tom Sargeant, the head coach, said, “The mantra right here is, we’re 0-and-1, and we’ve learned a lot from our setback last year in Langley, as well as we’re out to make things right.”
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Johnson, a veteran and a leader claims that the new players joining this year are aware of their responsibilities.
He continued, we’re taught from day one that we’re a highly physical team. “You must play muscular, aggressive, and brutal football. We watch many films because our coaches constantly emphasize it, but we also need to play smart, so these young players quickly pick up a lot of information.
The team, according to Sargeant, appreciates the pressure to perform well and the attention they receive from the community.
“Our city and we always have high expectations of ourselves,” he remarked. We don’t take anything for granted; we embrace that and appreciate that.
The squad will finalize its roster before Thursday’s game versus the Hilltops alumni. According to the sergeant, most of the starting jobs are secured, although roles can always be acquired during camp.
The defensive front seven are fired up and prepared to go, but there will be some competition in the defensive backfield, according to Sargeant. Everyone is locked in and prepared to leave, so why not go? Let’s carry out some plans and see where they go.
The Hilltops host the Winnipeg Rifles to kick off the regular season on August 14.
Source: CTV News
