Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Stu Foord grew up loving his hometown Roughriders.
After having signed with the rival BC Lions this past offseason though, he’s had to change his tune.
“I was playing at home and I loved it. I love the Roughriders, I always will,” said Foord. “But it’s a short career, so I just wanted to get out there and see if I’ve got what it takes to play in the CFL.”
Foord had been primarily a back-up running back or special teams player for Saskatchewan, and since he was looking for a more involved role, he decided to look elsewhere.
The Lions felt like a good fit for Foord, so he decided to take a leap and move out to the west coast.
“This is my career and I feel you should take your career as far as it can go,” he said. “And if that means that you have leave home, the ones you love, the place you love and the team you love, then that’s something that you have to do and I’m ready to step forward and make the best of it.”
The four-year CFL veteran started playing football almost by accident. When he was a kid, Foord and his friends had often played pick-up football in the park, but he had never played in an organized league. That all changed one day when he was 12. His buddies, who played organized football, convinced Foord to tag along with them to watch their practice. He ended up participating with the team that day and loved it.
“I was a bit timid, I was young, I didn’t want to go and put the equipment on and meet new people,” said Foord. “Next thing you know, I’m signed up for the league and I’ve been playing ever since.”
Starting with the Regina Thunder of the CJFL after graduating from high school in 2003, Foord thrived. He lead the Prairie Football Conference in kick return yards, receiving yards and rushing yards during the 2007 season, and earned club MVP in his last two seasons (2007-2008) with the Thunder.
Stu made his CFL-debut with the Roughriders during Week Two of the 2008 season, and a couple months later, was named Canadian Player of the Week in honour of his two-touchdown performance against the Lions, which he said is his favourite football memory to date.
His success against BC hasn’t caused any friction in the clubhouse, though.
“Football’s football and football guys are football guys. All these guys have been on several teams before and the new guys come in every year and they know how to welcome them,” said Foord. I’ve been playing sports my whole life and it’s coming out and hanging out with the boys.”
And although his team has accepted him into the ranks, his family and friends still have yet to get used to Foord putting on the orange and black his season.
“When I talk to friends and family, they’re like ‘BC? Seriously, BC?’” said Foord. “It is a rivalry and we’re going to be playing each other five times this year, if you include the preseason and I think that’s going to be very interesting, to say the least.”
(From BC Lions.com)
2 comments:
With the Cdn running back coming back into vogue, I don't understand why the Riders didn't try keeping Stu. I think he could have been a rati0-buster this year.
GB
Stu had his chance here GB and he couldn't get it done. If he wasn't a local I think he would have been cut adrift.
Rob
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