WINNIPEG – Growing up, Derek Yachison bled blue. Now he gets to wear the colour too. The Winnipegger is living his childhood dream of playing professional football in his own backyard.
“I’ve been coming to Bomber games since I was little,” the 24-year-old wide receiver said. “It’s cool to be able to play for them now. You’ve got to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real.”
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Yachison is one of four local products suiting up for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Sharing the same area code are Andrew Harris, Thomas Miles and Abubakarr Conteh. The team hasn’t had that many Manitobans on its roster since the 1970s.
“It’s great to see some hometown guys on the squad and contributing too,” Harris said. “It’s great for the city and the team.”
But even better for the Winnipeg High School Football League. All four players are graduates of the organization.
“It’s amazing because our kids see it and they realize they can do it,” WHSFL commissioner Rick Henkeiwch said. “They realize those kids started off like they did in grade nine.”
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Inspiration to perhaps become the next big Blue Bomber.
“I feel the football players here, the quality is growing every year,” Yachison said. “Our football programs are good.”
Meaning there’s plenty more hometown heroes to come.