DL Ferguson’s never-quit attitude pays off

Panthers standout’s hard work has earned him a spot on CJFL team.

When George Ferguson, a defensive tackle, enrolled at Spruce Grove Composite High School in his grade 11 year, he had to decide if he wanted to try out for the team or not, a choice which would dictate the outcome of his future.

George Ferguson

Positions:
Defensive Line (Tackle), Nose guard

Height/Weight:
5’10, 250lbs

Teams:
Spruce Grove Panthers (high school: ASAA)

Commitment:
None

Official Visits:
None

Considerations:
Open

Class:
2016

Ferguson began his career in grade ten when he tried to crack the Strathcona Lords of the Alberta School Athletics Association (ASAA) lineup. When he didn’t make the team, the young defensive tackle said he was discouraged. He added he wasn’t interested in pursuing football until he started playing with the Spruce Grove Panthers (ASAA).

“I was very eager to make the lineup at the new school I was attending in Spruce Grove, Alberta,” he said. “Working my tail off to become a captain both my grade 11 and 12 year, I was awarded with back to back MVP awards.”

While being awarded MVP could have been his season highlight, Ferguson chose something a little more board. “My highlight of last season was every play being in the trenches. There was something about it that just let me forget about everything else going on around me and focused,” he said.

Ferguson’s hard work as paid off as he has recently signed with the Edmonton Huskies (Canadian Junior Football League). He said they were very active in the recruiting process and the team was the most interested in him.

“Ian (McClean) was always a straight shooter and I liked that about him,” Ferguson said of the Huskies head coach. While he was considering playing for the Kamloops Broncos (CJFL), he said he felt it wasn’t the right fit for him after spending a few days at their spring camp.

The young player added that the recruiting process has been very straight forward and there was a time where he was on the fence about where he was going to play next year. Beyond football, Ferguson said he would like to become an entrepreneur and develop a stable mentorship program to help people who are looking to become entrepreneurs. He would like to begin studying business at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in January 2017.

While it has been quite a journey for Ferguson, he is grateful for his parents for encouraging him to continue on with football when he was deciding whether or not he should play for Spruce Grove.

When it comes to the sport, Ferguson said his the most influential person in his life strength and conditioning coach, Brad Daymun. “He helped me create not just physical strength but mentally by pushing me to always do better,” he said.

For the past four months, Ferguson has trained with Elite Athlete Training Systems four days a week. When the CJFL season begins, the goal is simple for the young football player. He said that, “I am going to outwork my opponents on the field and off of it, going hard in the gym and hard at main camp.”