Rams add a local commit to their Class of 2018.
After a disastrous injury at the end of his grade ten season, Zach Hirshmiller, a defensive end from Winston Knoll Collegiate, wasnāt supposed to see the field in grade 11. But, with the right help and his own perseverance, he never missed a beat and his hard work has earned him a spot on the roster of the Regina Rams.
When he welcomed the offseason in grade ten, Hirshmiller probably was expecting it to be routine, uneventful. But that all changed after he tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus. He was touted to miss between 9-12 months and miss his grade 11 season.
āBut, I had an awesome surgeon and I was able to rehab with some amazing trainers and physiotherapists and come back in under six months. I didnāt miss a snap of my grade 11 year and I believe that having to overcome that adversity has brought me to where I am today,ā Hirshmiller said.
A hometown boy, the product of Regina, Saskatchewan, has been waiting for a chance to don the green and gold since the tender age of nine. āI chose to commit to the University of Regina because it was the program I grew up around. I went to the Ramsā camp since I was nine years old and have dreamt of putting on the Rams helmet ever since,ā he said.
Courtesy of Zach Hirshmiller.
āThey also have a great tradition of winning and theyāre very quickly rising to be a powerhouse in U Sports,ā he added. āI want to be apart of brining a Vanier championship back home to Regina.ā
Standing at 6ā1, 245lbs, Hirshmiller currently plays with the Winston Knoll Collegiate Wolverines (Regina High Schools Athletics Association). He is a two-time member of the South Saskatchewan U16 team and has also played for Team Saskatchewan U18.
āIāve worked with a lot of the Rams coaching staff on provincial teams and loved playing for them,ā Hirshmiller said. āI always loved when I got the chance to play for such passionate coaches and I would go to war for any of them, which helped make my commitment a comfortable and confident fit.ā
Along with provincial teams, Hirshmiller has played five years of Regina Minor Football and four on the Saskatchewan Selects club team. He added that he is familiar with many of the Rams current players, whether they have been a coach of his or a former teammate.
Hirshmiller, who is interested in business, won a silver medal with Team Saskatchewan at the 2017 Football Canada Cup. He was one of the teamās captains. Last season, the two-time Wolverine captain was named Winston Knollās defensive MVP. In the 2015 Manitoba-Saskatchewan challenge, he walked away with gold. He was also a captain on the South Saskatchewan U16 team.
āI want to thank my parents for supporting me and doing so much for me. I am so appreciative of what they have sacrificed to get me to this point,ā Hirshmiller said. āI cannot thank them enough.ā
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