A former high school football player, who played against Rueben Mayes, explained it like junior novice hockey - Mayes would have the ball and 12 guys in a group chased after him, but couldn't catch him.
Mayes was fast in track and field and maybe even quicker on the football field. That is what helped pave his path to the National Football League and become the best football player produced in the Battlefords and a truly great role model.
Mayes was back in the Battlefords, where he grew up, for the first time in nearly four years for a special reason. Mayes, a former North Battlefords Comprehensive High School running back, was honoured Thursday, as the school and City of North Battleford partnered to name the practice field after the high school, college and NFL star.
Rueben Mayes Field was unveiled in front of local and provincial media, several of his family members, former teammates and coaches and current staff and football players from NBCHS.
"It is going to be great to see the sign every day," said Vikings tailback Joey Carriere. "It will be great for kids growing up here to see what Rueben Mayes did."
After three years with the NBCHS Vikings Mayes had an outstanding college career and etched his name in the Washington State University record books. Mayes was then drafted in the first round of the Canadian Football League draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the third round of the NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. Mayes went on to turn heads in the NFL, as he was a Pro Bowler and rookie of the year. He played five seasons with the Saints before finishing the final two years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Mayes remains the only Canadian-born football player to be inducted into the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Football Hall of Fame and as his former coach Don Hodgins explains, he and 800 other inductees are among more than a million players who played in the NCAA.
"Football is such a big part of the culture of Saskatchewan, we are extremely proud of Mr. Mayes and his accomplishments," said Football Saskatchewan representative Brian Guebert. "He is great ambassador for the game of football from Saskatchewan. He is a great role model, as his work ethic, determination and accomplishments are so available for all of us to recognize."
After all of his success on the football field and success in life after football, Mayes hasn't forgotten where he came from.
"I don't know if I can share with you how special this day is for me," said Mayes. "As I think back on my athletic career and academic endeavours this has to go down as one of the highlights of my life. I am proud to be from North Battleford, Saskatchewan and I told people that in college, with the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks."
Following his 2008 induction into the NCAA Hall of Fame, Mayes received an honorary football. Mayes sent that special piece of memorabilia back to Hodgins, showing his pride in being from North Battleford and the character of Rueben Mayes.
Along with his football accomplishments, it was that character that was honoured and talked about Thursday.
"Education through sport is what SHSAA is all about," explained Kelly Schneider on behalf of the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association. "It's not the athletics that is important, it is the character that it builds. I hope this motivates many more people to shoot to have the character that this gentleman has displayed for us."
"We are very proud to call you one of our own," said Living Sky School Division Director of Education Randy Fox earlier in the day at NBCHS before Mayes spoke to a large number of students from the high school and other schools in the Battlefords.
The Rueben Mayes Field sign will be hung on the field north of the school where the Vikings practise and North Battleford Minor Football practises and plays.
The sign displays the Vikings logo, Washington State and Mayes' NFL teams, the Saints and Seahawks.
"What I want this to be representative of - it's not about Rueben Mayes - it is about pride, pride in this community," said Mayes during the unveiling of the sign.
Before cutting the ribbon and officially unveiling the sign, Mayes turned the honour guard of NBCHS football players and said, "For all of you that are working so hard and are thinking about what you want to do in the future, I want you to think about the pride, the pride of being a Viking. The pride of working hard, the pride of a vision, the pride of commitment and the pride of doing well - academically and athletically."
North Battleford mayor Ian Hamilton and others were among those who spoke and welcomed Mayes home.
Soon the sign will be on display to commemorate the day Mayes came back to the Battlefords where his career and life began.
