A kid my wife knows from her town in Canada got drafted by the Montreal Alouettes
Former GP football player taken by Montreal in CFL draft
FRED RINNE – Herald-Tribune staff
Brian Ridgeway
Photographer: Randy Vanderveen
In sports, when life throws you a curve ball you just hit it. Right?
What if you're a football player?
Ask Brian Ridgeway, he'd likely say hit it anyway.
Sunday, Ridgeway was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes. He was selected 39th overall by the defending Grey Cup champs, out of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby.
A standout as part of Rick Gilson's Warrior crew at GP Comp, Ridgeway's football journey eventually took him to B.C. to play junior gridiron in Nanaimo before joining The Clan at SFU. The fact that Ridgeway was drafted may not come as a huge surprise to friends, coaches, and other players. It will, however, if you understand he sat out the entirety of last season.
Concussion concerns have been cited as the reason Ridgeway did not suit up with SFU this past season, and while there is some truth to that, Ridgeway says he could have played had he chosen to.
"I had to make that decision and I did based on the advice and the demands of my courses," he said from his home in Grande Prairie where he is spending some time off renovating the home of his parents – Marg, vice-principal at Avondale school, and Dave, a one-time National Party candidate in federal politics.
He credits his parents for giving him every opportunity to succeed, and each providing him with a unique gift.
"Mom is thoughtful, smart, thinks things through... Dave is stubborn and that's rubbed off on me too and I know it's helped me in tough times," he chuckles.
Two of Ridgeway's coaches – SFU's Dave Johnson and Gilson – agree the draft was both surprising and not.
"Brian Ridgeway is a CFL-calibre football player, no doubt about it," says Taylor.
"He is the consummate leader – endless effort, drive and determination. Those things you cannot coach," he said.
Gilson agrees.
"I suppose sitting out all of last season with the concussion made it (draft) a surprise, but from a talent level and a leadership perspective, it's not really a surprise," he said.
No surprise considering Ridgeway has never chosen the easy way.
He joined the SFU team at a time when the program was rock bottom, that according to Taylor.
"He had plenty of opportunity to go elsewhere but he was bound and determined to make us better, and he did," he said.
Gilson shares the tale of a paramount moment in Ridgeway's career at SFU.
"He's a rookie, and he doesn't say anything for the first four games or so and the team really is getting hammered, so he pulls out a chair and stands on it and holds court basically telling anyone who is not interested in playing and winning to get out... that's Brian," says Gilson.
He also tells the tale of an incident in the B.C. junior loop. Ridgeway and Comp teammate Jaiden Smith played for Nanaimo, and had a contest on the Lower Mainland and right after the game the rush is on to load the bus and hit the last ferry back to Nanaimo.
While the pecking order in most dressing rooms means the vets get the gravy and the rookies are run roughshod, Ridgeway and Smith went through the locker room carrying equipment bags of rookies out to the bus back and forth.
"Chilliwack's coach said he knew right there his team couldn't possibly match the leadership those guys had," said Gilson.
The Comp principal says Ridgeway's greatest talent is to watch, learn and improve.
"He wasn't much of a player his rookie year, but he came back in Grade 11 and improved tremendously, and by Grade 12 he was one of our best and a leader – a bit of an odd one, maybe (as he laughs) but definitely a leader."
Against all odds again
At 185-210 pounds, the long and lanky Ridgeway was moved to rush end from his usual position of linebacker at SFU. his duty to bull rush offensive linemen who weigh – on average – 300-plus pounds. Unheard of.
Clearly speed was key at that point. That and a little polite trash talking for motivational purposes.
'I'd really get under their skin, oh yeah, I'd get around them and get to the QB and come back and maybe help them up and say 'wow how did that just happen, man...'" he laughs.
Taylor says he talked to almost all CFL teams about Ridgeway prior to the draft. Knowing his skill set and what he brings to a team on and off the field, but said he was very surprised a team took a flyer on him based on his year sitting out.
"He's a versatile player that brings a dynamic set of skills...can be utilized in many ways," says Taylor.
"Brian still has a long climb to make the CFL but he has a lot of things in his favour and I think he's going to get a true shot at making the roster," says Gilson, who adds Ridgeway is the third player from the Comp in his era to be chosen in the draft.
None have been able to crack an opening-day lineup and he hopes Ridgeway will be the first.
Likely the most famous CFLer to come of Grande Prairie was as Leon Lyszkiewicz who played 10 years in the league with five teams and won a Grey Cup in 1986 with Hamilton.
Turning point
While he lives, breathes, eats and sleeps football, on several occasions he faced the fact that he might not play another down of organized ball. One fateful day, when it looked like football was over for him, helped provide the inspiration that has brought him to the here and now.
It was the day that fellow teammate at the Comp and competitor in the BCJFL in Kelowna, Jeff Halvorsen died on the football field of an apparent heart attack. In one of those fact-is-stranger-than-fiction moments that only sports can write, it was Ridgeway who last tackled Halvorsen in an organized game, dragging him down just short of the goaline.
"He looked at me and just laughed, we didn't really need to say anything to each other, he was saying 'you got me, I'll get your ... next time'," he said.
Reflecting upon the impact of Halvorsen's death was tough, but the tragedy of his friend's death provided an inspiration in so many different facets of Ridgeway's life.
"I thought, if this could happen to Jeff (extremely good shape) so young, with a wife and a child, well... you just never know, so you have to make the most of it everyday - ..... out all the time, that's the only way to be successful in football and in life."
Ridgeway was contacted by the Als to inform him of his selection and to invite him to camp in June. He sees his initial role as a special teams player and potential backup in the linebacker corps, but he's up for anything.
And he does have one very strong redeeming quality in this equation – he's Canadian.
"This is my shot. I'll be giving it everything I've got and see where it takes me. It's got me this far."
FRED RINNE – Herald-Tribune staff
Photographer: Randy Vanderveen
In sports, when life throws you a curve ball you just hit it. Right?
What if you're a football player?
Ask Brian Ridgeway, he'd likely say hit it anyway.
Sunday, Ridgeway was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes. He was selected 39th overall by the defending Grey Cup champs, out of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby.
A standout as part of Rick Gilson's Warrior crew at GP Comp, Ridgeway's football journey eventually took him to B.C. to play junior gridiron in Nanaimo before joining The Clan at SFU. The fact that Ridgeway was drafted may not come as a huge surprise to friends, coaches, and other players. It will, however, if you understand he sat out the entirety of last season.
Concussion concerns have been cited as the reason Ridgeway did not suit up with SFU this past season, and while there is some truth to that, Ridgeway says he could have played had he chosen to.
"I had to make that decision and I did based on the advice and the demands of my courses," he said from his home in Grande Prairie where he is spending some time off renovating the home of his parents – Marg, vice-principal at Avondale school, and Dave, a one-time National Party candidate in federal politics.
He credits his parents for giving him every opportunity to succeed, and each providing him with a unique gift.
"Mom is thoughtful, smart, thinks things through... Dave is stubborn and that's rubbed off on me too and I know it's helped me in tough times," he chuckles.
Two of Ridgeway's coaches – SFU's Dave Johnson and Gilson – agree the draft was both surprising and not.
"Brian Ridgeway is a CFL-calibre football player, no doubt about it," says Taylor.
"He is the consummate leader – endless effort, drive and determination. Those things you cannot coach," he said.
Gilson agrees.
"I suppose sitting out all of last season with the concussion made it (draft) a surprise, but from a talent level and a leadership perspective, it's not really a surprise," he said.
No surprise considering Ridgeway has never chosen the easy way.
He joined the SFU team at a time when the program was rock bottom, that according to Taylor.
"He had plenty of opportunity to go elsewhere but he was bound and determined to make us better, and he did," he said.
Gilson shares the tale of a paramount moment in Ridgeway's career at SFU.
"He's a rookie, and he doesn't say anything for the first four games or so and the team really is getting hammered, so he pulls out a chair and stands on it and holds court basically telling anyone who is not interested in playing and winning to get out... that's Brian," says Gilson.
He also tells the tale of an incident in the B.C. junior loop. Ridgeway and Comp teammate Jaiden Smith played for Nanaimo, and had a contest on the Lower Mainland and right after the game the rush is on to load the bus and hit the last ferry back to Nanaimo.
While the pecking order in most dressing rooms means the vets get the gravy and the rookies are run roughshod, Ridgeway and Smith went through the locker room carrying equipment bags of rookies out to the bus back and forth.
"Chilliwack's coach said he knew right there his team couldn't possibly match the leadership those guys had," said Gilson.
The Comp principal says Ridgeway's greatest talent is to watch, learn and improve.
"He wasn't much of a player his rookie year, but he came back in Grade 11 and improved tremendously, and by Grade 12 he was one of our best and a leader – a bit of an odd one, maybe (as he laughs) but definitely a leader."
Against all odds again
At 185-210 pounds, the long and lanky Ridgeway was moved to rush end from his usual position of linebacker at SFU. his duty to bull rush offensive linemen who weigh – on average – 300-plus pounds. Unheard of.
Clearly speed was key at that point. That and a little polite trash talking for motivational purposes.
'I'd really get under their skin, oh yeah, I'd get around them and get to the QB and come back and maybe help them up and say 'wow how did that just happen, man...'" he laughs.
Taylor says he talked to almost all CFL teams about Ridgeway prior to the draft. Knowing his skill set and what he brings to a team on and off the field, but said he was very surprised a team took a flyer on him based on his year sitting out.
"He's a versatile player that brings a dynamic set of skills...can be utilized in many ways," says Taylor.
"Brian still has a long climb to make the CFL but he has a lot of things in his favour and I think he's going to get a true shot at making the roster," says Gilson, who adds Ridgeway is the third player from the Comp in his era to be chosen in the draft.
None have been able to crack an opening-day lineup and he hopes Ridgeway will be the first.
Likely the most famous CFLer to come of Grande Prairie was as Leon Lyszkiewicz who played 10 years in the league with five teams and won a Grey Cup in 1986 with Hamilton.
Turning point
While he lives, breathes, eats and sleeps football, on several occasions he faced the fact that he might not play another down of organized ball. One fateful day, when it looked like football was over for him, helped provide the inspiration that has brought him to the here and now.
It was the day that fellow teammate at the Comp and competitor in the BCJFL in Kelowna, Jeff Halvorsen died on the football field of an apparent heart attack. In one of those fact-is-stranger-than-fiction moments that only sports can write, it was Ridgeway who last tackled Halvorsen in an organized game, dragging him down just short of the goaline.
"He looked at me and just laughed, we didn't really need to say anything to each other, he was saying 'you got me, I'll get your ... next time'," he said.
Reflecting upon the impact of Halvorsen's death was tough, but the tragedy of his friend's death provided an inspiration in so many different facets of Ridgeway's life.
"I thought, if this could happen to Jeff (extremely good shape) so young, with a wife and a child, well... you just never know, so you have to make the most of it everyday - ..... out all the time, that's the only way to be successful in football and in life."
Ridgeway was contacted by the Als to inform him of his selection and to invite him to camp in June. He sees his initial role as a special teams player and potential backup in the linebacker corps, but he's up for anything.
And he does have one very strong redeeming quality in this equation – he's Canadian.
"This is my shot. I'll be giving it everything I've got and see where it takes me. It's got me this far."
I was thinking the same thing. You tell him.
