Ryan Marquardt is getting set for the next chapter of his life and football career in the Interior heat.

Just days after graduating from South Delta Secondary School, Marquardt leaves for Kelowna this week to begin preparations for his rookie season in the B.C. Football Conference with the Okanagan Sun.

The two-year starter with the Sun Devils opted for the junior football powerhouse after attending a recent tryout camp and securing a roster spot. The gridiron commitment fits nicely with his post-secondary school plans which includes attending Okanagan College. Marquardt intends on pursuing a career in law enforcement.

"They work the whole football program around schooling when it comes to things like practice times," explained Marquardt, who will be living with family friend during the summer before moving into student residence come September. "I have been thinking about leaving (Tsawwassen) for a while and think it's good to get out and live on my own."

When Marquardt was exploring his junior football options, he was tipped on the possibility of heading to the Okanagan by SDSS assistant coach Derek Mann who played for the Sun after an impressive career at quarterback for South Delta. Marquardt was formally invited to a tryout camp where he was up against a wide range of mostly older prospects (junior football age limit is 22) that had made their way to Kelowna from across Western Canada.

"I get there and there were guys 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6 going up against me," smiled the 5-foot-11, 220-pound 18-year-old. "I think they just wanted a guy who wouldn't be afraid to hit back and I think I showed that to them and deserved to be on the team."

Marquardt made the cut as a linebacker after playing nothing but on the interior line his entire career at the community and high school levels. The position switch means his off-season workouts have focused on his quickness and playing with a leaner body frame. "I have been doing a lot of foot speed stuff over at the (Winskill) turf and also working with a trainer at the Tsawwassen Athletic Club too," he explained.

Marquardt didn't start playing organized football until his second year of Pee Wee eligibility with the South Delta Rams community program. He was actually thinking of quitting after one season until his mom convinced him to give it one more chance.

He hasn't looked back, crediting Ram coaches John Mann and Dean Dodd for his early development before moving across the street to SDSS where he helped the Sun Devils win a provincial championship in his Grade 11 career under head coach Ray Moon.

"It was my mom who actually got me into football," laughed Marquardt. "I was always a bigger kid who wasn't excelling at soccer and she thought I should give football a try. I wasn't too keen about it at first but she insisted I give it one more shot. Ever since I have had a passion for it.

"Coach Moon is the man that taught me to love football. Just with his pre-game speeches and the confidence he had in us as a team."

Marquardt is hoping his stint with the Sun could take him eventually to the university level, either locally at UBC or SFU, or even UBC Okanagan.

There have been recent talks of a potential partnership between the Sun and UBC Okanagan now that the Kelowna university is a member of the Canada West University Athletic Association.

The Sun open their B.C. Football Conference schedule July 26.