The B.C. Lions team has been counting down the days to training camp, as have many fans in Kamloops who are anxious to see their favourite team up close and personal at Hillside Stadium.

The training camp kicks off this Thursday in Kamloops as the B.C. Lions rookies take to the field for a three-day camp before full squad training begins Sunday, June 2. The stadium will be closed daily from May 30 to June 20 until 7 p.m. for the training camp.

The camp takes place at Hillside Stadium but players also utilize the gym and pools for off-field training and fan interaction. Last year dozens of kids would flock to the pool every evening with the hope of seeing their favourite players doing laps or relaxing in the hot tub.

Fanfest will take place on Sunday, June 9 at Hillside Stadium and the team will be announcing more fan events during the course of the camp.

This is the fifth year Kamloops will host the camp and an agreement for a sixth year is set for 2014 as well. The camps were previously held in 2004 and then 2010 through 2012. In February the team announced Kamloops would be the site of training camps for the next two years as well, beating out a rumoured half dozen other communities for the honour.

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.