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HEADLINES Bishop’s plays host to over 50 blue-chip football prospects
The visit of these highly sought CEGEP and high school student-athletes to Bishop's comes as the Gaiters coaching staff finds themselves right in the middle of the recruiting season. Tony Addona, who serves as the school’s athletic director and offensive coordinator claimed that the strong turnout was due partly to the presence of head coach and former CFL great Leroy Blugh. “I am really impressed with quantity and more importantly the quality of the recruits here this weekend,” Addona said Saturday afternoon as he watched the prospects go through a series of drills. “There is a lot of athleticism out here. Leroy is a big reason while so many blue chips prospects have visited this weekend. He has the ability to relate to people, he is a former player who is well-known as someone who made it in the CFL. He is respected in the football community throughout the country and has a great personality. He can relate to players and in turn they want to play for him.” Blugh was all business this weekend realizing that many recruits will make their university choices based on perceptions from their brief stay in Lennoxville. "This is a crucial weekend for our program," says Blugh. "Over 50 top-level recruits are here on our campus, familiarizing themselves with the Bishop's atmosphere. We've invited the top players at each position and our program will get a major boost if they choose to come here." The visits are designed to give the invitees a sense of what awaits them at Bishop's should they choose to play for the Gaiters next fall. The recruits also got a first-hand look at the kind of outstanding fan-support that Bishop's fans have become famous for when at Saturday’s basketball doubleheader. In a handout package given to each prospect was a typewritten page that included the Bishop’s University Mission Statement, the benefits of a Bishop’s education and the expectations of the student-athletes. Those expectations included the foundation of a lifelong learning and friendships, confidence as a social leadership, intercultural awareness and the qualities necessary for civic leadership. Blugh stated that the mission statement and list of expectations was in response to questions from recruits about what a Bishop’s can do for them. “We wanted to tell that what Bishop’s is about, what we expect from our student-athletes and what they can from expect us,” Blugh said during Saturday afternoon workout. “We think we have a lot to offer to our student-athletes besides a quality education and playing university football.” Blugh talks with passion about the benefits of the Bishop’s experience, in part because he is a perfect example of a student-athlete who flourished during his time in Lennoxville and in the days following his graduation. A three time CIAU All-Canadian, Blugh’s professional resume includes a selection as the league’s Top Canadian Player and has a Grey Cup championship credit. Now he is facing his greatest challenge, restoring the glory to the Gaiter football programme. This past Saturday was another step in that direction. |
By Mike Hickey, Special to the Record