If Regina Thunder fans thought running back Peter Boersch was a dangerous asset in the Prairie Football Conference last season, they’ll be happy to know it looks like the best is yet to come.
Especially as he continues his work with his other football team.
Boersch and Thunder teammate Ben Walz are both junior-eligible members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice roster this season, and as a result have been practicing with both clubs since the start of training camp.
That added experience at the pro level has made a major difference in Boersch’s game, and it’s an opportunity he’s happy to be able to take advantage of.
“It's been incredible,” Boersch said after practice on Wednesday afternoon. “I've got access to some of the best coaching in the world and I get to learn from some of the best football players around. A lot of it's just about the preparation it takes to perform the way you want to as well as just the confidence that it takes as well.”
Boersch is coming off a campaign where he ran for 1,436 yards over 10 games and was one of the top running backs in the PFC. Decent numbers, to be sure, but they pale in comparison to what he did against the Calgary Colts last weekend — 33 carries for 240 yards in a 27-9 victory. More of that, and Boersch could be in for a special season, indeed.
“I think that the o-line had a ton of push up front we were just able to execute,” Boersch said in explaining his success in the contest. “Our team's worked really hard so we're in great shape and we have the ability to keep doing it over and over again.”
Riders head coach Corey Mace was naturally happy to see that kind of performance out of one of the team’s potential up-and-comers.
“He’s been going crazy and I’m so excited for him,” Mace said. “Walz as well, he scored a touchdown in his first game back. I think we all hope for the same things, that they can go out there and execute and can pick up something in this building that they can apply to what they’re doing with their junior program.”
Mace also noted that both players are essentially working through two-a-day practices with the Riders and Thunder in addition to playing their regular CJFL games.
“These guys come to work every day, so I have nothing but respect and credit for those guys and their work ethic,” Mace said.
For his part, Boersch is just taking the extra workload in stride.
“It's a great problem to have,” he said. “People ask me if I'm tired and it definitely adds up, but football is my day and night. Not many people get the blessing of being on one football team full-time but I get to be on two and I get to be a part of both families and yeah it's been amazing.”
Both Boersch and Walz are fitting right in with the pro club, too, with Mace saying they’re “part of the brotherhood”.
“They have lockers just like other players in that locker room, they’re in all the meetings, they’re getting the same messaging. When you spend a lot of time with people, they start to feel like family and they’re certainly part of ours.”
While the whole wide-eyed part of the experience has mostly passed, Boersch admits that there’s still a sense of awe being so close to the team he cheered for as a youngster.
“I'm super lucky to be having this experience each and every day,” he said. “I still wake up grateful and in shock but I am settling in more and I am kind of treating it more like it's my day-to-day which is really exciting for me.”
Having the chance to work with luminaries such as running back coach and former CFL superstar Andrew Harris certainly doesn’t hurt the experience, either.
“You couldn't have picked a better coach for my scenario,” Boersch said. “He’s doing it the way I want to do it and he's one of the best to ever do it in all of Canadian football. He's also just an incredibly great coach, very well spoken.”
The Regina Thunder are set to take the field in their home opener on Sunday when they host the Winnipeg Rifles. Game time is 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.
The Roughriders are also back in action Sunday when they travel to B.C. to face the Lions. The Rider Broadcast Network will have all the action beginning with the pregame show at 2 p.m. Dave Thomas and Luc Mullinder will then have the game call at kickoff at 5 p.m.
