Photo: Ric Ernst / PNG
For many football players, having the chance to play professionally is a dream come true. However, having the opportunity to play for your hometown team is something that many players don’t get the chance to experience.
For W.J. Mouat graduate Boseko Lokombo, that dream has become a reality.
Boseko, who played at the University of Oregon, a Division I NCAA school, was drafted in 2013 by the BC Lions in the 3rd round at 21st overall. Although he was drafted by the Lions, he wanted to wait another year to take a shot at the NFL and decided to finish up his degree.
One year after being drafted by the Lions, he entered the NFL combine and posted good numbers. However, he faced a major setback – he suffered a labral tear in his shoulder which required surgery and rehabilitation throughout the summer. Soon, his dream of playing in the NFL became more uncertain than ever before.
“I waited for an invite to camps from NFL teams but didn’t get the call,” Boseko recalls. “Eventually, time was running out. I was getting impatient and wanted to pay football, you know, because I love the sport. I decided to sign and go with the BC Lions, and I think it was the best decision for me.”
Boseko, who signed with the Lions last September, is now finding himself at his very first BC Lions Training Camp and finding confidence within himself, his teammates, and the Lions’ new head coach, Jeff Tedford.
“It’s been a good experience,” he says. “Getting a chance to work with these guys and learning how this 2015 team is going to look like has been great. We have some good leaders in Coach Tedford and we have a good team, a very talented team. We’re just here to put in the work and hopefully it’ll pay off.”
As for his thoughts on joining his hometown team, Boseko is definitely excited to be a part of the Lions.
“It’s amazing, it’s very cool. The best thing is that I get to play in front of my family and loved ones and get to represent Canada. It’s a blessing.”
For those who want to see him in action, you can catch him at the BC Lions pre-season game on Friday, June 19 at 7:00pm at Thunderbird Stadium at UBC.
Chiko's Corner 