The V.I. Raiders three day spring camp is underway at Caledonia Field in Nanaimo. Photo credit (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW).

By Dan Marshall

Roster Selection

VI Raiders looking to finalize roster at 2023 spring camp

May 28, 2023 | 7:23 AM

NANAIMO — The VI Raiders are entering a season of change with new management, coaches and players.

Roughly 75 players will be attending spring camp from Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28 at Caledonia Park on Wall St.

General Manager Shawn Arabsky said the athletes will be ramping up the energy and competition throughout the three days.

“Friday we’ll try to teach everyone the offense and defence. That will allow us to play faster as the weekend goes on. Saturday will be the long day where it’s a mix of learning and refining what they learned on Friday. Sunday will be a morning walk through and then a scrimmage at the end.”

Spring camp will wrap with Sunday’s final scrimmage set for 1:30 p.m.

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Arabsky said the team will be young this year noting no job is safe with open competition for everyone.

“We have roughly 20 returning guys and only two fifth years. It’s going to be a lot of high school recruits and some older recruits as well. It’s going to be new faces with the coaches and management as well. The whole mantra is a fresh slate for everyone.”

The Raiders will open the 2023 BCFC season at home against Westshore on July 29th. Photo credit (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW).

After a 1-9 season in 2022 the Raiders are looking to re-establish themselves in the community.

Arabsky knows it will take some time to get the top mid island high school athletes on board with the new program.

“The energy towards the team hasn’t been very strong locally over the last few years. That’s where we’re trying to tap into for next year to get back into the high schools and get back into the community.”

Other recruiting grounds have remaining strong however.

The team enjoys positive relationships with clubs in the Prairies with the Raiders coaching staff fielding many calls from players and coaches out east.

“We’ve also been tapping into the international pool for the first time ever. We’ve got two guys from England coming, a Swedish offensive lineman and we’ve filled out our last international spot with a running back from Australia.

The Raiders made headlines by announcing alumni running back and CFL all-star Andrew Harris will be the team’s new coach in 2024.

In the interim, the Raiders will be filling some of those tasks by committee. One of the key figures on the sideline will be Jay Daniels.

“He’s our defensive co-ordinator and will be one of our figureheads this year without Andrew,” Arabsky said. “His finger prints will be all over the team. He was up in Comox for the last 15 years and that team just lost in their provincial final. He’s done a really good job with culture in the teams he’s coached.”

The Raiders will have more than 50 new players this season as well as a revamped management and coaching staff. Photo credit (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW).

Arabsky has an early read on where the 2023 VI Raiders may be the strongest.

“Up the middle we’ll have our three best returning players. Our defensive line is going to be young but it’s going to be strong. It’s going to be an open competition with our defensive backs. Offensively receiver is our deepest position. We’re still waiting for one of them to emerge as an alpha.”

The Raiders have already been practicing once a week on Monday’s and that will continue after spring camp. Arabsky said the club will be building up to main camp on July 14.

The Raiders open the BCFC regular season on July 29 at home to Westshore.

Saturday’s training camp sessions were also done in conjunction with Football Nanaimo, who hosted games both before and after the Raiders.

At its peak, hundreds of players, fans and Raiders were at the site.

Around 75 players are looking to impress the Raiders coaching staff this weekend at spring camp. Photo credit (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW).

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