Three members of the BC Lions football team were in Cranbrook on Wednesday morning, speaking to the kids of Steeples Elementary School as part of the ‘Lions in the House’ program.
Wide receiver Tyler Davis, offensive lineman Antonio Johnson and linebacker Dyshawn Davis visited the school to engage with the students in fun activities, while also promoting a positive message about the power of choice, teamwork and the potential of working in trades through the Industry Training Authority.
Dyshawn Davis, who served as the MC of the assembly for students of all ages up to the sixth grade, moved the young crowd with his message of making positive choices and how he worked his way out of a self-described area of crime and unemployment in Camden, New Jersey to get a full-ride scholarship to Syracuse University and eventually become a professional football player.
Johnson, meanwhile, gave a personal example of his high school basketball days in Texas to illustrate the importance of being a good teammate above all else. Finally, Tyler Davis taught the youngsters about work in the trades and the potential of earning a living through manual jobs in the province. While misunderstanding the term ‘trades’ at first, many students expressed excitement at working in jobs related to ‘building’ although one younger audience member was disappointed that ‘wrestling’ was not considered a trade.
This spring, the ‘Lions in the House’ is visiting a total of 25 schools located throughout the province including the lower mainland, Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, Terrace, and Prince Rupert. The program is presented by the Industry Training Authority and Pacific NorthWest LNG, and supported by BCIT, the BC Construction Association, and BC Hydro.
The Lions are one of nine teams in the Canadian Football League, their 2018 season is set to begin on Saturday, June 16 with a home game against the Montreal Alouettes at BC Place in Vancouver.
