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Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bombers rookie returner Vaval looking like rising star
It was during the dog days of training camp when Trey Vaval, one of the many unknowns trying to crack the Winnipeg Blue Bombers roster, revealed how beneficial it was to be in a new city where all he knew was how to get from home to work. After practice, the wiry defensive back and return specialist spent most of his time alone, diving into his playbook, studying the nuances of the Canadian game and reading the good word. Not only did it give the 24-year-old an edge on the field, but he believed it helped him grow as a human being and strengthen his spiritual faith in a short period. FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES 'I try to grow every day, as a man, as a football player, as a son — all of that. Every day I try to do it, don't matter what I'm doing,' Vaval said after Monday's practice at Princess Auto Stadium, where the Bombers are preparing to face the Stampeders in Calgary on Saturday (7 p.m. CT). A grateful Vaval went on to win the returner job, and nine weeks later, the rookie affectionately known to his teammates as Mighty Mouse looks like a budding star in the Canadian Football League after taking two returns — a 93-yard kickoff and a 97-yard punt — back for touchdowns in the first half of Winnipeg's 40-31 victory over the Toronto Argonauts. He became the first player in Bombers franchise history to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game. Both of the returns showcased his elite elusiveness and speed, and by the second half, the Argos were OK sacrificing field position in the name of keeping the ball out of his hands. 'I'm not even gonna lie, I really just kind of blacked out and just trusted the guys in front of me,' Vaval said. 'After the first one, I was kind of telling myself, 'You're not gonna score again. Just secure the ball for your team, set the offence up, make sure they have good field position. And the second one hit, and I just blacked out and just trusted my blockers and just ran.' His kickoff return in the first quarter was the first touchdown of his professional career. Unaware that players can receive fines for taking home game balls, Vaval kept the one from that play as a memento. FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES 'If I wasn't supposed to, I'm probably going to get a fine, but, hey, I'll take it,' he said. 'I'm actually gonna send it to my mom (Lori). I kept that game jersey and that ball. My mom, she got stuff since I was a kid, so all that stuff means more to her than to me. So I give all that stuff to her.' Vaval has been a revelation for the Bombers to begin this season. The club struggled in the return game in 2024 then was thought to have acquired the fix to those issues when it landed Peyton Logan in free agency. However, when Logan went down with an injury early in training camp, questions began to swirl — until Vaval arrived. Since then, the 5-11, 163-pounder from Blue Springs, Mo. has impressed with his talents and his professional approach. 'It was right for when he showed up,' said special teams co-ordinator Mike Miller. 'He had a willingness to want to learn and understand the nuances of the Canadian game, and talking scenarios and stuff. 'I'm actually gonna send it to my mom (Lori)… My mom, she got stuff since I was a kid, so all that stuff means more to her than to me. So I give all that stuff to her.'— Blue Bomber defensive back and return specialist Trey Vaval commenting on keeping the game ball he held to score his first touchdown. 'So stuff that sometimes as a rookie, people are maybe a little more shy to ask the questions, because they don't want to be perceived to be wrong, and he had no problem asking the questions, asking the right questions, and then putting it to the field of play afterwards.' Following his breakout performance, Vaval leads the CFL in punt return yards (449) and is third in punt return average (13.6). He's also third in total kick return yards (437) and combined yards (886). 'Immediately what was evident was you got a guy who's kind of nicked up in camp and not really getting an opportunity, and we somehow have the foresight to make sure he stays, and a couple weeks later, he's cleared, and you like what he's doing,' said head coach Mike O'Shea. 'Now, when he gets that opportunity, he's just got a thirst for knowledge. He wants to do it, right? He wants to understand the CFL game and all the particulars of the special teams play here. That can be different than other returners that are as gifted as he is, that are just happy with their gift. But he is certainly interested in more opportunities and becoming a pro.' FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES The first seven games of Vaval's professional career have featured more bright moments than dull. He's dealt with several learning moments while navigating issues when fielding the ball early on, and he's proven he's worth watching every time he touches the ball. 'It's kind of how college was for me, just the whole mental game,' Vaval said. 'Not just (learning) stuff, but kind of like you always have self-doubt. But it's not like I don't believe in myself, I don't believe my teammates, it's just that mental battle, like the devil trying to get in your head. So you're always at war with yourself. That's probably the biggest (lesson), if I mess up on a play, just next play mentality.' The Bombers have a significant decision looming. With Logan returning to practice on Monday, it's only a matter of time before coaches will need to choose between the player they originally tabbed to return kicks and the one who has restored the spark in the third phase of their team. Vaval has also taken on significant snaps at field corner in the last two games, which raises questions about whether coaches would want him to play defence and special teams — a demanding task for the best athletes. FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES It's something Mighty Mouse has prepared for since turning pro. 'When I was with the Atlanta Falcons, Marquice Williams, special teams coach there, he told the whole room, 'You can't be a professional athlete and just play one position. You got to be able to play multiple positions,'' Vaval said. 'Doesn't matter what you're doing, you gotta be able to play multiple phases of the game. It's just how the game is, being a professional athlete. So, yeah, I'm sure I can go out there and do both.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vaval impresses at Bombers camp
Of the several tattoos that mark Trey Vaval's neck, the checkered flag that covers his Adam's apple might be the easiest to notice. The black and white artwork holds two meanings for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie, who plays defensive back but is making a push for a roster spot as a return specialist this spring. One is a salute to his family, which races in motocross back home in Blue Springs, Mo. The other is an ode to Nipsey Hussle, the late West Coast rap artist who coined the catchphrase 'The Marathon Continues,' which symbolized his relentless pursuit of success, even in the face of adversity. CAMERON BARTLETT PHOTO Blue Bombers rookie defensive back Trey Vaval took all of the returner reps in Winnipeg's pre-season opener against Saskatchewan last weekend, registering 37 yards on two kickoffs and 24 yards on three punts. 'This is my marathon,' Vaval said Wednesday. 'You only get one chance at this life.' The placement of the flag made it perhaps the most painful of the bunch, which is ironic because the 24-year-old has already felt plenty of pain in his young career. Before signing with the Bombers this off-season, Vaval attended training camp with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons last fall. That didn't go as planned for the undrafted free agent, who was cut before appearing in a pre-season game. Vaval called it a valuable learning experience on the dos and don'ts in pro football, but being released still rocked his world for months before Winnipeg came calling. 'Football has always been the option A. I never had an option B. If I got cut tomorrow, I don't know what I would do with my life. That's just being real. I've always put football first,' he said. 'I got cut, I didn't know what I was going to do with myself, I was waiting for a call and just working out every day, super depressed, I didn't know what was going to go on, so getting closer to God, God has brought me out of the bottom, for real.' On that note, Bombers camp has been a more enjoyable experience for the 6-0, 163-pounder. While working out at defensive back, he's often been the first player to see reps as returner, which points to the intrigue he presents among the coaching staff. Vaval has also seen a lot of personal development this month. 'It's been amazing. Yeah, you're going to have bad plays, but I feel like I've grown a lot just as a person and as a man, and spiritually. Camp time is just around the guys and coaches, and it's away from the world. I had time to get closer to God, I had time to focus on my craft. So… play-wise I feel like I've done pretty good, I've just been sitting out here giving my best effort every play,' he said. 'Every day just wake up, and it's like every day is a blessing.' Vaval took all of the returner reps in the Bombers' pre-season opener against Saskatchewan last weekend, registering 37 yards on two kickoffs and 24 yards on three punts. Though he didn't make any critical mistakes like fumbling, there were still learning moments for the rookie. His American habits crept in on the first punt he fielded. After a short boot, he pointed at the bouncing ball and yelled at his teammates to 'Get away' from it, which is a standard practice in the NFL for punts that can't be fielded cleanly. That's a no-no in the CFL, where teams want players to catch the ball in the air. After being reminded by special teams co-ordinator Mike Miller, Vaval didn't let another ball touch the ground. 'He took instructions very quickly,' head coach Mike O'Shea said earlier this week. 'He was screaming up there, attacking the football, staying in bounds. Like, he got pinned to the sidelines on one, had to put the brakes on and spun back into the fray of getting hit by three or four guys, but he was scrapping for those extra yards. That makes a difference for the return teams, the guy's blocking, when they see a guy that's going to fight for extra yards, a guy that's not just going to scooch out of bounds… I think it paints a picture for the blockers that they better be doing more.' BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea has been impressed by Trey Vaval's return game, saying the rookie 'took instructions very quickly' and 'was scrapping for those extra yards' in the pre-season game. Vaval, who was an all-conference return specialist and an All-American at Missouri Western State in 2019, doesn't have to be told twice when it comes to catching kicks. 'Being a return specialist, I had a coach tell me, 'That ball in your hand, you're literally carrying the whole organization — the president, everything, is in your hands.' So if they say, 'Go get that ball,' you better go get that damn ball,' he said. O'Shea feels confident about several options that are available to return kicks, which will be especially important as long as Peyton Logan, the presumed top option, is injured. Myron Mitchell, Gavin Cobb, Dillon Mitchell and Keilahn Harris are among the others who have taken turns this spring. Myron Mitchell was the only other player to log a return in the first pre-season game. O'Shea said Wednesday that the team will 'probably rotate a few more guys' at returner in the club's final exhibition contest against the Roughriders in Regina on Friday. Vaval made a splash in the receiver-defensive back period of Wednesday's session, jumping an in-breaking route perfectly and securing an interception on a throw from Chase Artopoeus. He called it an example of how much freer he's playing these days. Unlike his first time in Atlanta, Vaval isn't worried about what his future holds. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. He's enjoying playing football while it lasts, and letting the cards fall where they may. 'Ever since I've been here, (I've been) taking every day, day-by-day. Today, I had a good practice. I'm not even worried about tomorrow. We still have to go watch film. So, I'm not really worried about it because, at the end of the day, you could be the best on the field… and get cut… so whatever I can't control I'm just not even going to think about,' he said. 'Come in, play to my best ability and not even think about it.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
