CJFL: Colts successfully juggle books, football

“It was quite an incredible day,” he said. “I’ve been working toward this for my entire life. It was nice to finally see that everything paid off.
“My whole life it’s what I’ve wanted to be. I haven’t wanted to be anything else. I’m glad I got in.”
Skelton is a glowing proof that its possible to play competitive football and remain a good student. All the while he was working towards attaining is Bachelor of Science degree at U of C, Skelton was playing linebacker for the Calgary Colts junior football team in the Prairie Football Conference. He was a member of the team for three years, until wrapping up his football days in the fall of 2011.
He’s not alone in pursuing an education while playing for the Colts, either.
Receiver Matt Lamoureux, for example, in September will begin his second year in the tough engineering program at U of C. In order to play football he says he has to load his school schedule with 8 a.m. classes in order to make afternoon football practice.
“You have try to give yourself a little time in between,” he said.
“It definitely gets tiring during the season. It makes for busy days during the season.”
The PFC season hits its stride just as the school years kicks off. Six of the Colts’ nine regular season games fall after September, the month students return to school. The team’s first game is Aug. 12 in Saskatoon; their home opener is Aug. 19 vs. Regina.
“Probably 60 to 70 per cent of us go to school full time,” said third year linebacker Zack McEachern.
“Also, many of the guys do hard labour all day, those who aren’t in school. They put eight-and-a-half to nine hour days. They’re in the same boat as us, if not harder because they are working all day.”
McEachern has studied physical education at Mount Royal University for two years and plans to transfter to the U of C, where he will study toward a career as a sports conditioning/strength coach.
Head coach John Stevens said the coaching staff wants to challenge their players to strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives.
“Attending university or working in the construction industry, the result is the same,” Stevens said. “Our players learn to manage their time effectively so they can reach their full potential.”
No one seems to have considered not playing football while going to school. Skelton played four of five years while he was pursuing his science degree — one with the U of C Dinos and three with the Colts. He skipped one season to recover from an injury.
He said he didn’t want to skip football because he knew once his junior eligibility ended it would mean the end of his playing days.
“Near the end I was thinking that maybe if I didn’t play football I could have gotten higher marks. But I don’t think that was the case. My second year when I wasn’t playing football it was hard to stay focussed on school and put in the work necessary to get my good marks.”
Skelton now prepares for four more years of hard studying. Veterinary school is well known for being a long haul.
“I’m more excited about school right now then I have been in the past five years,” Skelton said.
“It’s career specific training and knowledge. I think it will be a pretty cool experience.”

photo credit – Louis Christ