FOOTBALL DINOS TO PLAY PRE-SEASON GAME IN THE OKANAGAN IN AUGUST

The University of Calgary Dinos football team will travel to Vernon, British Columbia for a pre-season game against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in late August.

The game which will take place on August 24 at 7 PM at Greater Vernon Athletic Park and will be the first time the University of Calgary has played football in the North Okanagan. The last time the Dinos played in the British Columbia Interior was in 2006 when they played Simon Fraser University in Kamloops, B.C.

The game will be a culmination of a two-day event to promote amateur football in the North Okanagan and will be first time that Vernon has hosted a U Sports football game.

In addition to the game, a youth football skills camp will be held Tuesday, August 23 with both teams taking part that will commence at 4 PM and end at 6 PM.

For the Dinos, it will be an opportunity for several of their players to play in the region where they played their youth and High School football.

Senior defensive lineman Josh Hyer, a member of the 2019 Vanier Cup Championship team attended Vernon Secondary School, as did current teammates Liam Reid (linebacker), Zack Smith (receiver), Brady Szeman (offensive lineman), and freshman receiver Roan Reid. The Dinos also have four players on their roster from Kelowna including returning defensive backs Nate Beauchamin and Issac Athans, as well as Easton and Everett Schumuland.

Another Okanagan region tie to the contest is Dinos Special Teams coach Nathan Mollard. Mollard coached with the Okanagan Sun of the British Columbia Junior Football Conference for eight years as Defensive Coordinator before joining the U of C staff in 2019.

“There’s a number of players from Vernon and Kelowna who have done very well, and to bring these players home to play in front of family and friends is going to special for them. It will be a good show and we are looking forward to it,” states University of Calgary Head Coach Wayne Harris.

Ticket sales have been set up on Eventbrite and went on sale Thursday, June 16. A link has been set up on kalbowl.com that will direct traffic for sales to Eventbrite.

Tickets will be $22 for bleacher seating, $12 for standing room