No Substitute for Hard Work When it Comes to Success

No Substitute for Hard Work When it Comes to Success

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Edmonton Eskimos players Tanner Green, Kyle Saxelid, Ryan King and Kwabena Asare shared their personal stories and how they made it into the Canadian Football League.

Tanner Green asked the students how many of them play sports? The majority of hands went up. He asked the students how many of them thought they could take it further? Only a few hands went up.

He, too, didn’t think he’d take his love of football further. Tanner’s friends asked if he wanted to play in a men’s league, and unbeknownst to him, they put together film clips with highlights of the season and sent them to colleges. Soon after, he received a call from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec asking him to play on their football teams. He decided to make the most of his shot at Concordia University. After graduation, the Edmonton Eskimos phoned, and he signed on with the team.

Edmonton Eskimo Kyle Saxelid made some time for a little one-on-one following a presentation to students at St. Mary’s School in March.

Kwabena Asare grew up in Brampton, Ontario. He admits staying in classes day in and day out was a struggle. He never played football until Grade 12. “When I started I was terrible. But I jumped in because my friends were doing it.”

Kwabena developed a love for the game, and worked hard to improve his skill level in football. “I knew I would have to be better than these guys to go further. “It brought me focus and drive, and then I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” He said said you can only achieve a higher level of success by working hard and being dedicated. “You have to give 110 percent at all times.” After graduation, he received a phone call from the Edmonton Eskimos and has never looked back. “To this day I don’t take anything for granted.”

Kyle Saxelid was never a jock in school, but his physical education teacher saw potential in him, a lanky fellow who stood 6’6” and weighed 120 lbs soaking wet. That teacher phoned his parents, and they decided Kyle and his sibling would have to play at least one sport. He started believing in his abilities and began taking school seriously, earning a 4.0-grade point average in high school. “Grades were my ticket to college.” Kyle said he has two degrees and takes comfort in the fact that when his football career is over, he will have his education to use that as a fallback plan.

Ryan King, who hails from Sherwood Park, said he never had a problem getting accepted by colleges and universities, but had “no takers” when it came to offers to join their football teams. With a 68 percent average, Ryan knew he would have to work on academics before he could fulfill his dream of playing pro football. “At the end of the day, you have to invest your time and energy into reaching your goal.” He suggested they surround themselves with “like-minded people” and keep “pushing yourself” to reach the next level.

All of the players participated in a question and answer period. Students who asked questions received mini footballs, and they all wanted to know about their training, pre-game routine, and some of the highlights of their career. The students showed their appreciation to the players, cheering loudly and a hearty round of applause.