Michael Keryluik misses coaching minor football.
In Prince George, where he lived before a career move took him south to Quesnel, Keyluik coached a team of small athletes, teaching them team building, discipline finding them a place in the diverse array of positions and giving them a sense of accomplishment.
Not being a man to sit passively, Keryluik hasn't sat back and resigned himself to the lack of minor football in Quesnel, instead he's connected with Jeff Morris, the high school football coach, in an effort to bring minor football down.
Quesnel, Kreyluik said, had a team in the past, but somewhere along the way that fizzled. That isn't going to deter him, though.
"I don't see any reason why Quesnel can't field a team of kids at each level," he said.
It was that proactive attitude that got him into the sport in the first place. When his son decided to play, Keryluik jumped right in and asked what he could do. Despite his lack of experience with the sport, they took him up on his offer and set him to wrangling kids.
After he jumped in the deep end, he found out he knew more about the sport than he had thought. Later, he was thrown the keys to a team as the league in Prince George grew, and, taking a page from his own playbook, he grabbed a couple parents from the sidelines that were eager to help and put them to work as coaches and kid wranglers.
And that's what he's looking to do again here: grab some parents and make some things happen.
But, if you'd like to learn to swim before you jump in, next weekend is the Northern Combine, a showcase of northern talent at the Northern Sports Centre, featuring a coaching clinic.
Now, the Quesnel Football Committee is looking to collect everyone they can into the fold, with positions from everyone from kid wranglers to media relations to coaches.
"Really, what we're trying to do is get the word out – if you want to learn how to coach, come out," Keryluik said.
For information, contact Keryluik at 250-983-7006 or 778-414-5333 or email him at mkeryluik@integriscu.ca, or call Jeff Morris, 778-414-5333.