INNISFAIL – A local football player is taking his game up a notch.
Thirteen-year-old Dylan Pimlott will be showcasing his talent as a linebacker during the inaugural Wild Rose Bowl weekend at the University of Lethbridge from June 21 to 23.
The inaugural Wild Rose Bowl game will be held on June 23, and will include Alberta-based players ages 10 to 18, in three age divisions, peewee, bantam and varsity.
The weekend event is presented by WestCan Football, a development company that works with emerging football talent in Alberta through camps, combines and regional showcase games.
The three-day event will also include seminars, guest speakers and skills sessions.
After tryouts last February in Red Deer, Pimlott was selected to play on the junior gold team.
“I’m very proud of him. He’s worked (hard). We did lots of camps in Edmonton and personal training,” said Natasha Kuchera, Dylan’s mother.
Pimlott has been playing football for four years, most of them in the Innisfail Minor Football Association, and he's grateful for the opportunity.
"It makes me feel pretty good because there was a ton of kids that tried out and only about 30 or 40 make it," he said, noting what he loves about the sport.
"The best part of what I do is tackling someone and trying to get the ball from the other team," he added.
The Grade 7 student at Innisfail Middle School has his sights set on a professional career in football.
"I want to be an all-star football player," said Pimlott, adding being chosen for the showcase game will help develop his skill on the field.
"I think it's going to help me by learning more about the actual position," he said. "I feel like this would improve my skills a lot."
Pimlott attended an insertion camp for training in Stettler, June 8 and 9, met the team and underwent orientation prior to the event.
He will continue school in Innisfail but will be focusing on developing his football skill at Notre Dame in Red Deer, where he will continue to work on his skills with Innisfail coach Scott Layden, who also supported and helped Pimlott during his time with the Innisfail Minor Football Association.
The showcase game on June 23 is an opportunity that may open doors to his future, said his mother Natasha.
"It's going to be very tough and very competitive but this is going to help him pursue his goals," said Kuchera. "He's going to learn from the showcase (weekend) and take that to Notre Dame."
Pimlott wants to continue with similar showcase games and events while focusing on football and improving his skill through his high school career.
"It's going to take a lot of practice, hard work, listening to my coaches and a lot of determination," Pimlott concluded.
