RIFLES RECEIVER RUNNING WITH THE BIG DOGS


WHEN the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ rookies strapped on the pads Wednesday for their first practice before the official opening of the 2010 training camp on Sunday, a young Winnipegger got the chance of a lifetime.

Read More: [url]http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/other/rifles-receiver-running-with-the-big-dogs-95503444.html

Yembeh Moiba, a 19-year-old receiver from the Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian Junior Football League, took the field along with the Bombers’ newest prospects to catch passes from the pros, who included Bombers QBs Buck Pierce and Steven Jyles. The team has sent a player to the Bombers camp the last few years, offering them the opportunity to test their skills against some of the best players in Canadian football and, ideally, learn some tricks of the trade along the way. Previous invitees have included former Rifles stars Simon Blaszczak, Jeremy Botelho, Justin Clayton and Jeff Noga.

The opportunity to learn from the best isn’t lost on the graduate of Kelvin High School, currently entering his second year with the Rifles.

“I’ve got good speed… I can catch the ball, I can run it,” he says, “but my main problem is my route running. So for the last couple of days that’s the one thing I’ve been focused on.”

He credits Bombers receiver Adarius Bowman with taking him “under his wing” since he started some light route-running with the receivers and quarterbacks last week.

“They’re all great guys, you know? They’ve been helping me with catching the ball, running my routes… And (that help) is why I’m there.”

As comfortable as it sounds he’s been around the pros, Moiba can still be a bit star-struck.

“(Jovon) Johnson, the corner? Man, he’s way bigger in person,” he laughs.

Asked before the first day of full-pad practice if he was ready to take the field with experienced, hard-hitting CFL defenders, Moiba responded with typical gridiron bravado. “I’m looking forward to it… I’m a football player.”

On Tuesday, Bombers coach Paul LaPolice discussed his experience bringing CJFL players to camp while working as offensive co-ordinator for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“We had a kid named Stu Foord in Saskatchewan who showed up the first year and wasn’t quite ready, but he came back the second year and made the club and has obviously been productive,” said LaPolice.

Foord, then a do-it-all star for the CJFL’s Regina Thunder and now a third-year special teams players and backup running back for his hometown ‘Riders, has scored four touchdowns over the previous two CFL seasons while maintaining a strong 5.7-yards-per-carry average.

Despite Foord’s success story, Moiba is keeping his expectations in check. “I’m just happy to get my name out there, I’m not expecting to get drafted with the Bombers or anything.”

That said, he still hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow Kelvin grads Don Oramasionwu, currently a defensive lineman with the Bombers, and Eddie Steele, a recent draftee of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and play in the pros.

“Down the road, it’s something I’d love to do, to one day play for the Bombers.”

For the next couple weeks, Moiba will have to settle for just playing with them.

[email][email protected]
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 3, 2010 C6

Winnipeg Rifles’ Yembeh Moiba makes a one-handed grab at Bomber rookies training camp Wednesday. (MIKE DEAL/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

Winnipeg Free Press – PRINT EDITION
By: Andrew Evans
3/06/2010 1:00 AM

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

Leave a Reply