The mood on the practice field in Kamloops matches the weather: sunny, hot and the odd breeze creeping in for momentary relief. There is excitement and giddiness all around. Ronnie Yell and Emmanuel Arceneaux begin a fun debate over who will outmatch the other when the one on one drills begin Tuesday morning.
The conversation quickly turns to Yell’s practice wardrobe. He is wearing matching blue gloves and cleats along with camouflage pants and an orange hood.
“This is what I call Papa Smurf Monday,” explained Yell about his fashion choice.
“You know me, I like style. You look good, you play good and they pay good as Deion Sanders would say. This season I will do a different theme for every day of the week and Mondays we will go with Papa Smurf. Tomorrow will be a new thing.”
We may have to reach out to Montreal to verify who came up with the concept first. This writer recalls Stefan Logan claiming himself as Papa Smurf in a TSN 1040 post game interview a few years back.
At any rate, Yell is just thrilled to be back for a fifth training camp at Hillside Stadium. The Lions didn’t suffer many unlucky bounces in 2016 but one unfortunate setback was Yell’s season ending broken foot suffered in pre-game warmups in Toronto on August 31st. He was back sprinting in the week leading up to the Western Final in Calgary but still not fit enough to play.
“It was definitely a fluke, just a simple little tackling drill before the game,” recalled Yell.
“We always do it, nothing heavy it all. I didn’t come down hard or anything I just stepped on a teammate’s (Anthony Gaitor) foot and it twisted. Once they told me the season was over it was hard to take but I worked in the offseason and now we’re in top shape. The league knows what I can do and I am going to show it.”
Yell was the third starting defensive back to be lost for the year after TJ Lee and Steven Clarke in weeks four and nine respectively. All three are in Kamloops and anxious to pick up right where they left off.
There is a little irony to the equation as well. Yell’s new contract made it difficult to re-sign a couple of key veterans including his mentor and friend Ryan Phillips. Football can be a tricky business and Yell admits it has been a little surreal not having number 21 with him in Kamloops.
“Ryan was my roommate the last four years and I still feel like he is going to walk through the door every day,” said the graduate of San Jose State.
“He’s not coming back but we still talk and face time every now and then. I am still getting used to but we have a lot of young guys that are hungry to play. We’re going to handle business.”
Perhaps the Papa Smurf trademark is fitting. One of the more surprising factoids on the roster is Yell now serving as the club’s longest tenured defensive back.
Mark Washington is ready to see him take that next step as a leader for the defence.
“We have a way of passing the baton,” said the defensive co-ordinator.
“It was once in the hands of Barron Miles and he passed it on to Ryan and now he has passed the baton or Ronnie. When it comes to leadership and mentorship that is vital at every position. Ronnie has done a great job there.”
Providing more of a leadership role should come natural seeing as he is a father to three-year old son Kaeto.
Yell admits fatherhood has changed his life on football and life in general.
“You have to take care of yourself because you have to take care of him. A lot of things have changed. It has made me grow a lot and I am more humble,” stated Yell.
“I really appreciate the game more because I have to provide for my son. I do what I love and I am doing it for him.”
A kinder, gentler Ronnie Yell? On the field that would seem next to impossible. You can bet he will have a little bounce in his step when it comes to performing against the likes of Arceneaux, Bryan Burnham and Chris Williams in team drills starting Tuesday.
Papa Smurf is ready to roll. Stay tuned for the next fashion statement de jour.
 Matt Baker: mbaker@bclions.com