QB Somerville chooses York
York University was always at the top of Drake Somerville’s list of destinations.
On Wednesday, the A.N. Myer quarterback made it official by signing with the Toronto university along with teammate Quinton Douglas.
“First of all, York was the first school to reach out to me and they built up a really good relationship with me,” the 18-year-old Niagara Falls resident said. “I really like the coaches and the entire coaching staff, it’s a beautiful facility and I feel there is a really bright future at York. And overall, it just felt like home and it was a gut feeling.”
Wednesday’s signing ceremony was a big day.
“It’s awesome and it is great to have my school now,” he said. “Before everything was up in the air and I didn’t know where I was going to go or what I was going to do, but now we put the nail in the coffin and I am excited this is where I am going to be for the next four or five years.”
Somerville also made official visits to Windsor and McMaster but York won out.
“It felt like home, I felt like I fit in there and I felt wanted,” the 12B student said.
He was also attracted by the allure of playing for York’s offensive coordinator Tommy Denison, a Beamsville native who won back-to-back Hec Crighton Trophies in 2002 and 2003 while quarterbacking at Queen’s.
The two first met at a 2019 University of Toronto football camp, the summer before Somerville entered Grade 11. Denison was Toronto’s offensive coordinator at the time.
“I threw in front of him, I guess he saw potential and that’s when we started getting in contact,” Somerville said. “We have talked so much and I know and understand the type of offence he runs. I believe it is very tailored towards my skillset and Tommy and I have built a relationship over the last couple of years.”
Denison clearly remembers that first meeting.
“He was strong-armed and athletic and he was playing Spears at the time and I think him and Marshall (McCray) were splitting time which was great because those two were obviously the two elite quarterbacks down here,” he said. “Then the pandemic hit and it was how does he get reps and how does he get opportunities? I stayed in contact with Drake the whole time and he was always looking for opportunities to improve and that’s what I love about him.”
Denison feels Somerville has a high ceiling.
“He has that Doug Flutie ability to create and he was able to distribute the ball really well even in an environment that needed some help up front,” he said. “It will be an opportunity for him to come, learn the offence and find himself in a position to compete pretty early in his career.”
Somerville, who is planning to major in finance, is going to work hard mentally and physically to prepare for his first training camp in August.
“I love playing football know matter where it is and I am looking forward to playing at the next level against high level competition. I can’t wait to challenge myself and compete.”
His goal for his first season is to understand and process defences much quicker, be able to get the ball out faster, make the right decisions and be accurate with his throws.
Like Denison, Myer head coach Dave Buchanan feels Somerville has a high ceiling.
“He is still in his infant stages because he hasn’t had a lot of time because of COVID and the fact that he started later.”
Somerville never played quarterback before Grade 9 and didn’t get much playing time in Grade 9.
“In Grade 10, he was the guy at junior but he didn’t understand the position yet,” Buchanan said. “He spent a ton of individual time, with a quarterback coach, being coached by us, coached at Spears and everywhere where he could be coached. He has put an immense amount of time in and he is the prime example of hard work.”
