Broncos head coach Braden Vankoughnett (Image credit: CFJC Today/Anthony Corea)

By Marty Hastings

IN THE BCFC

Kamloops Broncos escaping financial distress, touting improvement ahead of home opener

Jul 18, 2025 | 5:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Head coach Braden Vankoughnett said his Kamloops Broncos are moving out from underneath the dark cloud that hung over the franchise prior to the 2024 campaign, when financial woes threatened to wipe it off of the BC Football Conference [BCFC] map.

“We’re very lucky to have the board of directors that we have going into year two,” Vankoughnett said. “In my tenure as head coach, I’ve had just as many boards as I’ve had years coaching. The stability is great. We’re doing a lot of work in the community. We’ve got the guys bought in and involved and we’re starting to see the progress.”

The Broncos are scheduled to host their home and season opener on Saturday (July 19), with the Vancouver Island Raiders of Nanaimo in town for a 6:00 p.m. start at Hillside Stadium.

Vankoughnett is hopeful his Broncos – who posted a 1-9 record last year – can make strides this season, in part because of the increased off-field stability.

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“Going into last season, we didn’t know if we were going to have a team or not, so we didn’t really get recruiting until the new year,” Vankoughnett said. “This year, we pretty much started as soon as the season was over in November.”

“We had over 100 guys out at spring camp, a really good recruiting class with some great young talent to complement the veterans we have on our roster this year.”

Among the key returnees on offence are two Kamloopsians – BC Lions’ prospect receiver Colton Meikle and established offensive lineman Rowen Munson – along with running back Cam (Bam Bam) Grzegorczyk and receivers Brock Dufort and Corey Jeeves.

The departure of Kaleb Senz – who will play on scholarship this season for the University of Regina – leaves a sizeable void as the receiver and returner compiled about 1,500 all-purpose yards last year.

“I feel like we’re hopeful,” Jeeves said. “We were in a lot of games last year and probably just let ourselves down toward the back end. I think we lost five or six games by one score, which was disappointing. But yeah, a lot of hope.”

Kieran Beeler of Edmonton will start at quarterback for the Broncos in Week 1, according to Vankoughnett.

Returning on defence are standout defensive back Keagan Curtis and a promising linebacker corps that includes newcomer Fenton Munson, Rowen’s brother.

“I think we’re building,” Fenton Munson said. “We’re making all the right steps. We’ve had a great off-season. The team’s really coming together. I think we could surprise some people and we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Four of the BCFC’s seven teams – the Broncos, Raiders, Okanagan Sun of Kelowna, Langley Rams, Westshore Rebels of Langford, Valley Huskers of Chilliwack and Prince George Kodiaks – will qualify for the post-season.

The Sun – who boast 17 BCFC championships, 10 appearances in the national final and three Canadian Bowl titles – knocked off the Rebels 23-17 in the league final last season to win the Cullen Cup.

Kamloops has not qualified for the playoffs since 2015, a 10-year drought the club would love to snap.

“That’s our goal every single year and that’s where we strive to be,” Vankoughnett said. “We’re hopeful. We want to see ourselves there, but it’s going to take a lot of work.”