Local hometown football hero Jordan Matechuk is living the dream every young football player aspires to. Matechuk is currently playing professional football as a special teams member with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger Cats.
Matechuk, who's been with the Ti-cats for four years has returned to Yorkton each year for the past four years, to run a weekend football camp for local youngsters. "I love doing it. This is where it all started. It's good to come back and teach the kids what I was taught when I was growing up," he says.
About 60 kids showed up for the football camp this year, Matechuk reports. He invites all youngsters, both boys and girls to take in a future camp to learn some football.
Matechuk was assisted in running the camp by close friend and Hamilton teammate Eddie Steele and Vanier Cup winner Julian Hardy who played for the University of Manitoba.
Football is a team sport and each player needs to find his place on the team. Growing up, Matechuk admits he didn't quite know where he fit in until he hit pro ball. The camp worked with kids to help them learn the game and find their place in it.
Young Jackson Boyda stood out at the camp, says Matechuk. An eager eight year old, Boyda fast became a coaches favorite. Despite his size he stood up in the drills against bigger opponents, says Matechuk. He showed the kids he didn't have to be the biggest guy to work the hardest, Matechuk states.
He and his assistants tried to push youngsters to their limit. If they fail, it's not the end of the world. It happens in football, Matechuk tells the kids. "Everyone gets beaten sometime," he points out.
The Hamilton Tiger Cat camp starts June 5. Matechuk is looking forward to getting started on the last year of his contract.
