His former coach, J.P. Lancaster, raved about Bond’s team-first attitude during his time with the Titans.
Bond persevered through injury to become the first player from Kamloops to play a regular season CFL game since 2003.
He spoke to students about the importance of integrity.
“I think that’s the biggest thing,” Bond said. “I made that known up at [Lloyd George Elementary School], too. Your character will get you into places that your talent won’t. That has definitely worked out for me. You show that you’re a good person and a good teammate and coachable, and you respect those people. It’s going to get you a long way. That’s kind of what I wanted to leave with them.”
After Bond spoke, the Titans introduced their head coach, Teagan Norrish, a Saskatchewan product who has played and coached for the Kamloops Broncos.
“I think if we can just get the kids in the building who are athletes who want to play football and we can coach them up, with the staff that I’ve brought on so far and myself, we have that ability to coach them up, make the most of them and be a competitive team in B.C., hopefully making those provincial runs like they made this year,” Norrish said.
A team from South Kam or its previous iteration, Kam High, last reached a provincial high school football final in 1994.
The school last won a provincial football title in 1990, when the Kam High Red Devils knocked off the Centennial Centaurs 36-18.
The Titans reached the provincial semifinal last year.
“It’s not just about the football,” Norrish said. “You are a family out there. It’s memories that you’ll have for life. It teaches you a lot of things and there is no better feeling than being out on the football field with your brothers.”