Jonathon and Lukas Muir grew up playing football in Yorkton. They spent many high school nights playing in the orange and white Yorkton Regional High School Raiders uniforms. Now, the brothers have begun another football journey together - this time in blue and yellow.
The Muir brothers are members of the Saskatoon Hilltops, a Canadian Junior team. Jonathon, 19, is returning as a second-year player, and Lukas, 17, is a rookie.
Because of the age gap between the two, they only spent one year playing together in high school. But they both agree that they’re excited to have each other this year.
“It’s good to be playing with him,” Jonathon said. “We don’t argue too much, so it’s nice having him on the team.”
Lukas said playing for the Hilltops had been on his mind since his final season in Yorkton. His brother playing there was a big part of the reason why.
“I went to the winter workouts with my brother in Saskatoon and kind of worked my way up, started knowing some of the coaches and one thing led to another,” Lukas said.
Jonathon and Lukas agree that there are things they miss about playing home in Yorkton.
For Jonathon, it’s the team.
“The one thing you miss is playing with all your high school friends,” he said.
Jonathon said he’s looking forward to the Hilltops’ trip to British Columbia later in the season, where he’ll play against some of those high school friends, who now play in B.C.
Lukas said the biggest adjustment for him this year is starting over as a rookie.
“It’s a lot different coming from high school, where you’re the best guy on the field and you don’t come off the field – being a captain and everything,” he said.
“Being here, you go back to square one, you’re a rookie and you have to work your way up the ladder again.”
But Lukas said it’s exciting to be part of such a dominant team. The Saskatoon Hilltop have won the Canadian Cup, the championship tournament for the league, five times in the past six years.
If they win again this year, it will be a three-peat.
“We just go week by week,” Jonathon said. “You try to win each game. The national championship is always the goal, but you don’t want to get too ahead of yourself.”
Lukas echoed similar thoughts.
“Our focus is to treat every team like it’s a big game. Being on a successful, dominant team is a great feeling,” he said. “Of course the national championship is the big end goal.”
The Hilltops season is only just getting started, but so far it’s been successful. They’ve played two games, and have come out on top both times.
But, as the Muir brothers agree, the team’s focus is on the next game, not the next trophy.
