The Robert Bateman Timberwolves unleashed a secret late-season weapon on Monday - a visit from star B.C. Lions linebacker Adam Bighill.
The Grey Cup winner and CFL all-star visited the team to participate in a practice and help motivate the team before the playoff date with Prince George in Kamloops on Friday.
Bighill also made appearances earlier this year at an Abbotsford Secondary Panthers practice and helped give away shoulder pads with Nissan at a W.J. Mouat Secondary Hawks practice. He said he enjoys helping fuel the passion for football in Abbotsford.
“I love football and I love giving back, so to have the opportunity to work with these guys is a real pleasure for me,” he said. “It feels good to be more involved in the community and share some of my knowledge here at Bateman and with the other teams in town.”
He said interest in the sport is strong in Abbotsford.
“It’s really alive and well out here,” he said. “There’s a lot of support out here in the Fraser Valley and it’s great to see. There’s lots of kids coming out for football and I think it’s only getting bigger and the teams are only getting more competitive, it’s pretty cool to see.”
The former Central Washington State Wildcat said success is all about effort.
“You can’t substitute hard work with anything else,” he said. “My favourite quote is you need to outwork your competition so there is none. If you outwork your competition, chances are you will earn what you want.”
Bighill and the Lions travel to Calgary to face the Stampeders on Sunday, and he said he likes the Lions’ chances of pulling off an upset.
“It’s the time of year we play for and it’s always exciting to get an opportunity to play for a Grey Cup,” he said. “We feel good about our opportunity to go into McMahon Stadium and win. We’ve been getting better every week, so I think we’re going to surprise some people on Sunday.”