By PAUL DELANEY
Staff Reporter
Soccer's loss was football's gain.
That's football American style when you're talking Raul Vijil, the former Eastern Washington University standout who is now tearing up the Arena Football League /AF2 as a member of the Spokane Shock.
Vijil's number seems to be everywhere.
First and foremost in the end zone an awful lot as the Shock's leading scorer with 37 touchdowns and 222 points, double that of teammate Andy Olson. His 37 TD's are also the most in the AF2 as are his point totals.
But you'll also catch jersey number 15 on posters, billboards, tickets, and yes, even the Shock's signature beer cups filled with a popular Canadian brew.
“It's a lot of fun when you get your face on billboards, cups and tickets,” Vijil said of the marketing magic Shock management has used from the get-go to captivate a large segment of the area's sports fans.
So does all of this attention get the former Pasco High School soccer standout recognized? “Not as much as you think because you're behind the helmet,” Vijil said.
Plus, at 5 foot, 10 inches and 185 pounds, “I'm not that prototypical receiver type of guy. I actually get that, ‘You're Raul? I thought you were a lot bigger,' comments,” he said.
Vijil said his size is a great asset in arena ball. “It kind of suits my game. I'm low to the ground. It certainly helps my game, I feel. It helps my lateral speed.”
It may, however, be a bit of a detriment when it comes to the rugged physicality of a game that is played on a field about a third the size of traditional outdoor football, and one surrounded by the dasher boards of a hockey rink.
Vijil's toughness-to-size ratio was perhaps best measured a few weeks ago when, on the first play of the game, he was hit hard on a crossing pattern over the middle, but shook it off to score a touchdown on the very next play. “If you can't take a hit you shouldn't be playing,” Vijil said.
The hits are tougher here than they were at Eastern Washington University. “We've got some players from some big schools from across the country,” the 25 year-old Vijil said. “Definitely the speed is a lot faster in arena football so you have some big collisions out there.”
One of the numerous favorite targets of quarterback Eric Meyer during his days at EWU from 2001 through 2005,Vijil caught 72 passes for nearly 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns, helping the Eagles advance in the I-AA playoffs in 2005.
Vijil's exploits with the Eagles caught the eye of the coach of the expansion AF2 Shock early on. “Right after college I got a call from coach (Chris) Siegfried,” Vijil said. “He said we have an arena team here in Spokane now and we'd like to have you try out.
“I said ‘why not?' I wasn't planning on doing much after my college career. I came out, tried out and he said ‘what number do you want?'” the graphic arts major said.
Vijil thinks it was both his route running and hands that sold Siegfried
“If you've got speed and can run the routes but can't catch the ball you're no good, so I take pride in that,” Vijil said.
It was Vijil's feet, rather than hands that propelled the early days of his sports involvement. Vijil played soccer growing up and was on very competitive Olympic Development Program (ODP) team and premiere teams.
“I played all the way to my senior year,” he said. “I decided to give football a try my senior year. I had the coaches on me since my sophomore year. ‘Why don't you come out for football?'”
The rest is of course history, and Vijil hopes to make more of it as he strives for a career in a higher level of pro ball.
“I'm definitely looking at moving up,” Vijil said, referring to the Arena League. “I was trying to do this last year and I suffered a little injury. I played about half the season and was on a route to move up,” but he played just eight or nine games. “That kind of hurt me,” he said.
One only has to point to former Vijil teammate Michael Roos who also just played his senior year of high school football and now stars in the NFL.
The only regrets Vijil said he has is not starting a little earlier in football. Vijil said he may have matured as a football player a little sooner in his college career. “It kind of took me a little while. I got that red shirt year and my freshman year and then I really started getting numbers my junior year,” he said.
The field and the fans
Playing football on a field this size is, “definitely a big adjustment,” Vijil said. “The games are a lot faster. Just about every play you can get the ball because we don't have many running plays so that's kind of fun for me.”
Playing on this smaller field also has its hazards. “You kind of get used to it and learn how to hit the boards. There's definitely a technique to it,” Vijil said, adding “It comes from experience.”
But having, perhaps, the league's best, biggest and most noisy fan base is an amazing experience, according to Vijil. “It's crazy how Spokane has kind of taken to it and supported us.”
“I don't know what it is, whether it's in the water or something,” Vijil said of the fans who reach lunatic status in the way they support their team. Face paint, garbed head to toe in team colors are all part of the aura.
“It's a combination of things. They don't have a big college team here – in Spokane – they've got WSU and Eastern,” but, Vijil said, “you have to kind of commute to those.”
Football is definitely a fan-favorite here in America. Winning a championship the first year here isn't all that bad either.
The Shock have spoiled their fans buy now winning three straight AF2 Western Division regular season titles. “We got off to kind of a slow start last year and they were looking for someone to hang,” Vijil said. “It's tough love.”
On the flip side are some of the buildings Vijil has played in on the road in the AF2. “I've maybe played in front of some crowds of maybe up to a thousand, maybe, and that's counting the workers,” he said with a laugh.
From futball to football
Larry Weir, Spokane Shock and EWU broadcaster has watched Vijil in a football uniform for the better part of a decade.
“When you think about Raul, first coming out of Pasco High, he didn't have a whole lot of football background,” Weir said. “So he was kind of learning the outdoor game as he went. And it all culminated with a really good year as a senior (at EWU).”
Vijil went indoors and Weir thinks he's still learning the game. “He's got a lot better grasp on it than he did his first year. But, I think the arena game – because it's so much smaller and compact – suits his skills better because of his soccer background.”
“He was a really good soccer player all through school and figured he'd be going to college to play soccer, not football.” Soccer is often referred to as futball in other parts of the world.
“I think some of the quickness and the footwork has really helped him in the game, where quickness and footwork is probably more important than flat-out blazing speed, just because the field is so much shorter,” Weir said.
Overshadowed throughout his EWU career by teammate Eric Kimball, Weir said it was hard to pick out one standout moment for Vijil at Eastern. “His senior season as a whole was just outstanding.”
And that's something Vijil's done with the Shock. “Every week you know he's going to be there with five, six, seven or eight catches,” Weir said. “He's been extremely consistent over his career, when he's been healthy.”
Vijil was injured in 2007, missed a few games and Weir felt that may have had an impact on the Shock's slight slip where they exited in the first round of the playoffs. Both Vijil and Antwon Savage spent serious time on the sidelines last season.
“The first three or four games Raul was putting up big numbers when Savage wasn't healthy. When Savage was healthy they only had a couple of games together and Raul went out,” Weir said. “I think not having those guys out there (together) really hurt the team,” Weir said.
Adam Shackleford, Spokane Shock head coach naturally has high praise for Vijil.
“He's playing on our wing position this year which is the main receiver in this offense,” his coach said. “He does such a great job of running his routes, and once he does catch the football he's got that ability to free himself and make that extra move.”
Shackleford thinks it wasn't the team that was hurt last season as much as maybe Vijil himself, and his chances to further advance his game. “Seeing what he did this year and watching him take over that lead role, I think he would have emerged sooner,” Shackleford said. “I think his breakout year could have been last year if he'd stayed healthy.”
“I think what helps him out is that he hasn't been doing this (football) forever. He got a late start. He wasn't taking this banging in high school and junior high,” the coach said.
On a short field with his ability to move right and left, Shackleford thinks that gives Vijil a huge advantage. And, perhaps, a ticket to the next level?
“I think he can (play at the next level). He's got to find himself the right fit. Any player does,” Shackleford said.
“He's got to find that coach who wants to take a chance on a guy who can catch the ball and make a move. He may not be your deep threat – he can certainly do that – but may not be your tall, lanky speedy deep threat that lots of teams are looking for,” Shackleford said.
“He's got to find a team that's willing to think outside the box a little bit and not look for that cookie-cutter 6-4, 220 pound receiver,” according to Shackleford. “And if he finds that I think we'll find a good home for him.”
There are probably a lot of defenses in AF2 that wish Vijil had stuck with soccer – that other kind of futball – or will get that call soon from an Arena League team.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com
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