#OVFL: Wildcats quarterback duo fuelled each other’s success

It was a tough season for the 2016 incarnation of the Cornwall Wildcats. The team managed only one victory in eight games and had to battle through multiple injuries to key players.

One of the bright spots in the less than desirable season was the relationship that developed between the Wildcats Quarterbacks, Tyler Fisher and Cameron Wilson.

Fisher will be entering grade 12 at Holy Trinity Catholic School in the fall and has been playing with the Wildcats since 2008, while this year was Wilson’s first season with Cornwall.

The Quebec native joined the Cornwall roster in week three after he heard there would be an opportunity to play Quarterback due to a knee injury Fisher sustained early in the season.

When Fisher was able to return to the field sooner than expected, rather than create controversy, the two pivots worked together to help each other and the team be as successful as possible over the course of the season.

Fisher and Wilson are both experienced lining up behind centre. They pair have been playing Quarterback for several years, but with the Cameron new to the team and the Wildcats bringing in a new offensive coordinator this season, Andrew Willson, one area where they were able to benefit from working together was learning the new playbook

“Cameron was adjusting too, so we just fed off each other If he had a question he could come to me, if I had a question, I could come to him. We were always there for each other,” said Fisher.

Cameron said it was a a big adjustment coming from Quebec where he played with strictly 16 and 17 year olds into the OVFL where the speed of the game is much quicker and working with Tyler to understand the playbook was a real advantage.

The OVFL football season is a short and sweet two month grind, and one of the things Tyler cherished most about this year was the friendship he was able to build with Cameron over the course of the season.

“Usually people would think there is a competition, and there still is, but we made sure we wouldn’t get let it get in the way and get mad at each other,” said Tyler. “Whenever once of us started getting down the other one would be there to pick him up.”

When Cameron came to Cornwall he thought he would be the only Quarterback, having heard that Tyler had suffered an injury. When it became clear it would be a two quarterback system, Wilson said he was met with open arms by his fellow pivot.

“He welcomed me, as soon as we got on the field he was helping me. We understood each other right off the bat, so we knew what each other struggled with and were able to help each other learn from our mistakes,” said Wilson.

It wasn’t just in practice that Cameron and Tyler helped each other out. In games Cameron said it was nice to have a fellow Quarterback watching each play and able to provide feedback on the sideline.

“He was always positive when I came off the field. He’d say it’s not your fault it’s not your fault, and we’d talk about the play,” said Wilson.

Perhaps the aspect of their relationship that allowed the two young men to develop the most over the course of the season was some old fashioned friendly competition in practice.

“The competition aspect of it was great, we’re friends, but you still want to succeed and be your best, and we really helped push each other,” said Fisher.

The strength of the bond between the two young men was evident when the Wildcats were playing the Cumberland Panthers. Tyler said one of his favourite moments of the season was watching  Cameron march down the field and put some points on the board despite the fact Cornwall eventually came up short of victory.

Cameron experienced similar emotions during the Wildcats lone victory of the season against Oshawa. He was struggling and Tyler came in to replace him and lead the Wildcats to victory, and felt genuinely happy to watch his teammate succeed.

The future is bright for these two young men both on and off the football field, and the Wildcats will be in fine shape at the Quarterback position if both choose to return next season.