When the B.C. Lions selected him in the eighth round (69th overall) in the 2019 CFL Draft in early May, was enjoying a meal at a Boston Pizza restaurant in Fleetwood, a neighbourhood in Surrey, where he felt both elation and disappointment.
For the Surrey-raised running back, getting picked by his hometown team was a real thrill.
sa国际传媒淚t was an exhilarating feeling,sa国际传媒� Lyles recalled, sa国际传媒渂ut also I was a bit upset not hearing my name called earlier than expected, you know what I mean, but thatsa国际传媒檚 just more fuel for the fire, right.
sa国际传媒淏ut Isa国际传媒檓 honestly just happy to get an opportunity, and getting the call from B.C. sa国际传媒� oh man, my whole family just lost it and it didnsa国际传媒檛 even feel real at first, to be honest with you.sa国际传媒�
First to call was , the Lions legend, who now works as the teamsa国际传媒檚 director of Canadian scouting and draft co-ordinator.
sa国际传媒淕oing to kids camps when I was younger, Geroy was always there, talking sa国际传媒� those the Lions did, remember those?sa国际传媒� Lyles said with a smile. sa国际传媒淚t was just an amazing thing, and I promised him and everyone else that Isa国际传媒檇 come here to work every single day, and that I wouldnsa国际传媒檛 take it for grantedsa国际传媒� I just thanked (Lions management) for the opportunity and told them Isa国际传媒檇 be one of the best draft picks theysa国际传媒檇 get this year, that Isa国际传媒檇 work hard, day in and day out.sa国际传媒�
Lylessa国际传媒� path to a career in the CFL is still in a holding pattern, as the raw rookie hasnsa国际传媒檛 yet played a regular-season game with the Lions. He didnsa国际传媒檛 dress for the teamsa国际传媒檚 (June 15), and wonsa国际传媒檛 fly to Edmonton for Friday nightsa国际传媒檚 fight with the Eskimos, either.
Still watching, hesa国际传媒檚 waiting for his chance to shine in the brightest spotlight pro football has to offer in Canada.
On Monday (June 17), Lyles practiced hard at the Lionssa国际传媒� training facility in Surrey sa国际传媒� across the street from where he used to play baseball. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 a crazy connection, too,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 so close, itsa国际传媒檚 almost like d茅j脿 vu being out here.sa国际传媒�
On the football field, hesa国际传媒檚 getting his reps in hopes of getting his first real start with the squad, after showing well in the pre-season.
Surrey-raised (#26 in orange, RB) getting reps at Lions practice Monday following the teamsa国际传媒檚 loss to Winnipeg at home Saturday night.
sa国际传媒� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)
The gridiron in Whalley isnsa国际传媒檛 far from Fleetwood, where Lyles grew up and where his sa国际传媒渂rother,sa国际传媒� close friend Jaylen Sandhu, was stabbed to death in December 2014, in the 16300-block of 88th Avenue.
Turns out, much of Lylessa国际传媒� motivation to make it as a pro football player has much to do with the death of Sandhu, who was 17. His killer, equal his age at the time, was later sentenced to eight years in prison.
sa国际传媒� RELATED STORY: , from 2017.
With mothers as best friends and neighbours, Jamel and Jaylen played football together for close to a decade, on minor teams with the North Surrey association.
Today, Lyles said not a day goes by when he doesnsa国际传媒檛 think of Sandhu.
sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 still with me on the daily,sa国际传媒� Lyles said. sa国际传媒淎t the end of the day, when Isa国际传媒檓 down and out and having a hard day and thinking football might not work out, hesa国际传媒檚 there, hesa国际传媒檚 in the back of my head saying, sa国际传媒榊ousa国际传媒檙e not giving up, yousa国际传媒檝e been wanting this since you were a little kid at North Surrey.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淎nd now, look where I am today, and some of that is because of him, you know what I mean. And I had a close friend group that was always in my ear, too, telling me I had talent and that I was more than just an average player, so they were there too, along with Jaylen.sa国际传媒�
For a few years, in junior and during his time with the University of Manitoba Bisons, Lyles often wore one of Jaylensa国际传媒檚 shirts when he played, as a reminder of his dead buddy.
sa国际传媒淚t was a Calvin Klein shirt he used to wear, his favourite, because he was always a big fashion guy,sa国际传媒� Lyles explained. sa国际传媒淚 was really upset when this happened, because one time someone grabbed it and completely ripped it, shredded it, while I was playing. But I still have the shirt hanging in my room, I just cansa国际传媒檛 wear it no more. And even now Isa国际传媒檓 trying to pay tribute to what he liked, his style, so Isa国际传媒檓 slowing getting into that fashion interests,sa国际传媒� he added with a laugh. sa国际传媒淓ven with my hair, my dreads now. Thatsa国际传媒檚 where my power comes from, my strength.sa国际传媒�
For Lyles, another source of inspiration is his mother, Sharon, who raised him on her own, pretty much.
sa国际传媒淣one of this would be possible it wasnsa国际传媒檛 for my mother, and saying I love her is an understatement, you know what I mean,sa国际传媒� Lyles said. sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 gone through so much, without telling me, just so I can play football.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淓ven when I was at university,sa国际传媒� he added, sa国际传媒渟he always made sure I could have a little money to at least support myself, because going to school in Canada is pretty hard with the financial support system, but yeah sa国际传媒� shesa国际传媒檚 someone I really admire, probably my greatest role model. Shesa国际传媒檚 always willing to put others before herself, so I ended up picking up that trait, and I just thank her for everything shesa国际传媒檚 done for me.sa国际传媒�
CFL Debut
sa国际传媒� j伪m褦l l褔l褦s (@Jamel_Lyles22)
6 carries 54 yards
S/o to my people in the 604 鉁婐煆�
June.7th @ BC Place 7 pm
Kurt Thornton, who coached Lyles at Tweedsmuir in Cloverdale, was at BC Place Saturday to take in the Lions game and show support for his former player, who appreciated the gesture.
Thornton raved about Lylessa国际传媒� work ethic.
sa国际传媒淗e was a tremendous high school football player,sa国际传媒� the coach said, sa国际传媒渁nd one of the best things about Jamel is that he loves the training part of football. He put in time in the weight room and he was busting his butt in there. He ended up having a dominant year in his Grade 12 year.sa国际传媒�
The six-foot Lyles, who will turn 23 on Aug. 12, , from North Surrey to Cloverdale to Manitoba to Victoria, back to Manitoba, now to Vancouver and, for practices, Whalley. In and around the teamsa国际传媒檚 Surrey hub, hesa国际传媒檚 become a bit of a tour guide for some of his teammates, many of whom also live nearby.
I am proud and unbelievably grateful to officially say I am apart of the Lions den. I want to thank the entire organization for the opportunity to play the game I love; you got yourself a savage. Now the real work starts 馃尮
sa国际传媒� j伪m褦l l褔l褦s (@Jamel_Lyles22)
馃抠:
On the field, though, itsa国际传媒檚 all business for #26, whosa国际传媒檇 favoured #22 until he got to the Lions and learned that jersey number was retired in honour of sa国际传媒�60s-era QB Joe Kapp.
sa国际传媒淐oach Clay (DeVone Claybrooks) just tells me to keep working, that itsa国际传媒檚 going to be a long process, you know what I mean sa国际传媒� everybody goes through this, especially as a rookie,sa国际传媒� Lyles said. sa国际传媒淚 just have to keep working on things I can control and get better day by day and not take a day off. The coaches, they really understand my situation and do see my potential, and Isa国际传媒檓 just blessed to play for my hometown. Itsa国际传媒檚 a great opportunity and I just promise to keep working.sa国际传媒�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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