An Estevan football player is moving away to continue his career.
Former Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs star Tyler Hodgson has made the lineup of the Vancouver Island Raiders junior football team.
The Raiders play in the British Columbia Football Conference and lost to the Regina Thunder in last year's national championship game.
Hodgson graduated from the Elecs program in 2012 after a two-year football career that saw him play all over the field. He was named the team's co-MVP with Kolby Fleury that year.
Hodgson is expected to play as a linebacker with the Raiders, but he also played at running back, offensive line and defensive end, depending on where he was needed most.
Hodgson was not able to speak to the Mercury in time for this week's issue, but his head coach with the Elecs, Mark Schott, spoke highly of him.
"He was a guy who we felt confident putting him out on the field in pretty much any situation, and he could get the job done," said Schott.
"He can play in all sorts of different situations. He reads the play really well, he's extremely coachable and I think the coaches (with the Raiders) will notice that, and he'll quickly become a player they can depend upon."
In his first year, Hodgson played at running back and Schott said he also had the tools to play that position.
"His size, speed and strength blend well to playing running back. He ran the ball extremely well for us in his Grade 11 year. He's a big, powerful guy and he keeps his legs pumping to get those extra yards. He's a tough guy to bring down because he's so big and physical.
"I think in his Grade 12 year, that was an element we really missed. We had to move him to offensive line because we didn't have the big bodies to play there. We definitely missed him as a running back that year, but quarterback protection is also important."
In his second year, Hodgson played at defensive end and linebacker.
"He's quite intelligent, he reads the play really well, he's strong and for somebody his size, he's got really good speed as well. He can get past the blockers quickly, pursue the ball and make a good tackle. He's got a lot of good things going on the defensive side of the ball," Schott said.
Hodgson joins a group of several players the Elecs have advanced on to the junior or university levels, and Schott said that's a feather in the cap.
"It's great for our program and for football in Estevan. It speaks a lot about the strides that Elecs football has made since its inception five years ago. The players are developing, coming through minor football and getting some great experience at the high school level, and they're being set up nicely to move on to junior and potentially the CIS level."
