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Where are they now

Where are they Now?

Alumni Stories

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters) 05/05/2016, 3:00pm PDT

Former defensive lineman Larry Hillary

It’s been seven seasons since defensive lineman Larry Hillary patrolled the Apple Bowl wearing his #44.

Despite his terrifying game on the field, Hillary was certainly well liked by all his teammates showing outstanding leadership qualities, winning the team’s top defensive lineman award in 2009.

Many fans might not remember but Hillary’s junior football career didn’t actually start on the storied Apple Bowl grass.  He broke into the BCFC as a member of the Chilliwack Huskers in 2006 as a fullback.

The following year the Rutland grad was granted his release to return home and suit up for the Sun, this time on the defensive side.  He played three seasons in the orange and brown from 2007-2009, collecting 24 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and a block.

“The highlight of my career was my final game against Nanaimo,” says Hillary. “Even though we lost, everybody pushed harder than ever and the feeling after the game was that everyone truly left it all on the field.”

Playing with the Sun for three season, he made some lifelong friendships, “the entire group that I graduated with and all the players who came after each made an impression. I’m friends with many of them still.”

Following his time with the Sun he moved to Edmonton and played two seasons of CIS football at the University of Alberta, then started working in the oilfields.  He’s still living in Alberta and working in the oilfields as well as landscaping.  August will be an important month, he’s getting married to his beautiful finance Amy.

It’s been seven seasons since he last played in the Okanagan but Hillary says he “would 100% trade places with a current player to experience everything the same and the organization has to offer.”  He also has this piece of advice for the current roster; “play every game like it’s your last, cliche right? Put everything you possibly can into becoming a better player because you truly get it back tenfold in the end and it will not only make you a better player, but a better man.”

Larry Hillary is a proud Okanagan Sun alumnus.

 

Sun Spots: Terrance Huston

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters) 05/10/2015, 12:00am PDT

One of the greatest running backs in Sun history

He’s regarded as one of the best running backs in Okanagan Sun history.

Terrance Huston dominated the BC Junior Football Conference from 1995-1998.  In just three seasons he collected 44 career touchdowns, 35 of which were on the ground.    His 44 majors is still a Sun record.

In the three seasons, the Sun appeared in two Canadian Bowls, losing both times to the Regina Rams in 1997 and 1998.  In his first season in 1996, the Sun fell to the Saskatoon Hilltops in the National semi-final game.  Huston made three interceptions, a National semi-final record that still stands and collected the highest return average, averaging 30 yards a return, also a National semi-final record that still holds true.

Huston states playing with his brother Jermaine Haley was one of his highlights during his tenure with the Sun.  He also says, still remembered as one of the best players ever to wear a Sun uniform, 17 years later, is another highlight.

Following his three dominating years in the Okanagan, Huston enrolled in Butte College in Northern California, where it didn’t take long to be noticed. After just one season at Butte, Huston signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2000.

However, Huston never dressed for the Dolphins, getting released at the beginning of the season.  He was picked up by the Oakland Raiders and placed on the practice roster for that season.  Following the year, Huston was given permission to play in the XFL in 2001 to gain more experience with the Orlando Rage.  As a tight-end he caught five balls for 51 yards.

After the XFL folded he returned to the Raiders in 2002, before suffering a career ending neck injury.

Today Huston lives in New Westminster and is a correctional officer at North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam and has been there for the past four years. 

The love of football hasn’t left his heart as back in 2012 he helped coach Frank Hurt high school to a provincial championship.

That said, when asked if he would trade places with any members of the Sun today, he says NO, claiming he came in at a good time.  He does believe head coach Shane Beatty is doing a good job of getting “that old Sun attitude back that has been missing for years.”

The advice he gives the current Sun running back core is this:  First off, try and score every time you touch the ball.  Second, see the whole field and third remember, great players make great plays when they are tired.

Huston is a family man now, living with his girlfriend and expecting his third child in July.  He kids Jannae and Jaydee are growing like crazy and he has a message for Sun fans; ”Kelowna should here some noise from my son on the football field in a few years.”  Music to the ears of fans who remember watching #8 tear up and down the Apple Bowl for three wonderful seasons.

If his son is half as good as his Dad, Sun fans will be in for a real treat!!

Sun Spots: Jeremy Bell

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters) 03/12/2015, 2:00pm PDT

This Bell will be ringing in Edmonton in 2015

Jeremy Bell played for the Sun from 2005-2009 returning kicks and playing a solid defensive back position.

Following his time with the Sun, Bell played for the University of Alberta Golden Bears where again he excelled.

While attending the University of Alberta Bell began taking steps to become a strength and conditioning coach and now he’s back in junior football as a member of the Edmonton Wildcats coaching staff.  Bell is not only the Wildcats’ strength and conditioning coach but also the defensive backs coach for the 2015 season.

Wildcats head coach Darcy Park says “one of the biggest off-season additions is the hiring of Jeremy Bell as the team’s strength and conditioning coach.”

Does Bell think playing with the Sun helped him land the position with the Wildcats?

“Playing with the Sun and just football in general taught me many things such as work ethic, team work how to work with different personalities. But I would have to say the single greatest thing playing for the Sun taught me excellence, excellence in life, in school, in relationships in every aspect of life. Do not settle for mediocre or just good enough, prepare like a champion, work like a champion and good things will come out of it.”

Bell says he will not only help the Wildcats with their strength, but help them prevent injury as well;

“Our strength and conditioning program it is very comprehensive, no stone has been left unturned in regards to preparing our players to maximize their athletic potential. Strength and conditioning is my absolute passion and I have spent countless hours building a program that I feel will give my athletes a competitive edge over any program in the country. My philosophy as a strength coach is centered around building strong athletes of course but our number one focus is injury prevention, a player is no good to his coaches and teammates if he isn’t on the field to express his athletic ability so while being able to deadlift 500 pounds may look good on paper, if you are hurt all the time and not on the field you are no good to your team, so again my philosophy is to build athletes that are resistant to injury as well as strong and explosive.”

Over the course of four seasons with the Sun, Bell became very familiar with the franchise and now is looking for similarities with the Wildcats;

“I would say the Cats organization has some similarities in regards to their championship pedigree but I don’t think the mystique is quite the same as you have with the Okanagan Sun. The Sun is a focal point in the community and it’s a special privilege to play for the organization. Now I’m not saying it isn’t a privilege to play for the Cats but its prestige is a little different due to the sport climate in a large market such as Edmonton. In Edmonton you have a number of professional sports franchises to compete with as well as another junior team the Edmonton Huskies and of course the University of Alberta Golden Bears whom I played defensive back for and was also the assistant defensive backs coach in 2012.”

What about teammates, does Bell see and similarities between his teammates with the Sun and the players he’s met on the Wildcats roster?

“As for right now I haven’t really spent enough time around the guys to really make that judgment. There is one player by the name of Cockburn who is an offensive lineman and he kind of reminds me of Travis Miller, super out spoken kind of gets a hard time from the guys but they all love him.”

One of the most difficult aspects for a player becoming a coach for the first time, is letting go of his playing days.  Wanting to jump into the play or lead by example on the field can be hard to get over. Bell has been able to transition nicely, but if age wasn’t a factor could he suit up for the Wildcats if they needed him in the secondary?

“I could most definitely suit up right now, I’m actually a much more prepared athlete now than I was during my days with the sun. My pursuit of strength and conditioning has allowed me to really maximize my own abilities physically, something I wish I could have done more of while playing with the Sun. I recently got a hat trick of interceptions in my last touch league game! So I think it’s safe to say Coach Bell still has it!”

So with the Canadian Bowl held in the PFC champion in 2015, is Bell hoping for a Sun vs. Wildcat national championship?

“As far as a Wildcats vs Sun Canadian Bowl it’s an intriguing thought but not something that is even on my radar at this point. We have a tremendous amount of work to do to prepare ourselves for the season so at this point I won’t be making any kind of predictions, we will let our work and preparation speak for itself and let the chips fall where they may.”

The Sun and Wildcats have only met each other once.  In 1983 the Wildcats snuck past the Sun 29-28 to win the Inter-Conference championship, before beating Ottawa in the Armadale Cup (now the Canadian Bowl) 30-11.

The Sun will open their 34th Spring Camp on May 29th.

James, green, Ottawa, redblacks

Daylon Pommier

A FOUR YEAR DEFENSIVE BACK WHO GRADUATED FOLLOWING 2010

Photo courtesy of Bill Adams

Without a doubt he was a difference maker in the Okanagan Sun secondary until graduating from the program following the 2010 season.

Daylon Pommier was a versatile defensive back that patrolled the safety position in the latter stages of his junior career.    He was a hard hitter, never shying away from the physical side of the sport and loved to talk to whoever would listen on the field, getting under the oppositions skin.

Following his outstanding junior career the RSS grad travelled to Montreal to attend and play for the University of Concordia along with some familiar faces including Sun alum Paul Spencer, Max Caron, Brendan Urness and Matt Scheurwater

When he reflects on his time with the Sun, Pommier says the highlight of his career was making the lifelong friendships with the players he played with.  On the field it was his final game in the orange and brown; the 2010 BC Conference final at the Apple Bowl.  Thou the game ended in a heartbreaking loss (16-14) to the VI Raiders, it’s an experience Pommier will never forget.

Over the course of his four years, Pommier had many teammates but there were a few that stood out “I'd have to say the Beaton brothers (Danny and Daryl) Alex Law (Tommy Gun) Stephen Rutter (for knocking a guys helmet 10 feet off in the air) Cole Shade and Batgoof to name a few guys I will never forget playing with.”

His time with the Sun was four of the best years of his life, but would he do it all over again?  The hours of practice, the time spent watching film, traveling on the bus, rehabbing through injuries?   In a word, Pommier says “Absolutely.”

What advice does he have for new Sun defensive backs?  “Have a memory of a goldfish, don't get beat deep and watch film.”

Pommier says playing with the Sun in the CJFL taught him many valuable lessons. “Junior football made me work collectively with a bunch of different guys for a common goal. It teaches young people how to tolerate and respect other humans even if you don't agree or even like them which is a great skill to have in life.   I also came out of junior ball with some lifelong connections. I still consider some of the most important people in my life the ones I shared the battlefield with.”

Daylon Pommier is a proud Okanagan Sun alumni.