After a rocky past two years in both his career and personal life following a long bout with depression as well as the 2011 steroid bust at the United States border that nearly cost him his career, Yorkton's Jordan Matechuk is getting another chance at making a return to full-time CFL duty. This time for his boyhood team back home with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, signing a contract with the Riders to be apart of their training camp roster.
Matechuk, the former YRHS Raiders star, started his CFL career in 2008 after three seasons in the CJFL with the Regina Thunder, Winnipeg Rifles and Victoria Rebels, breaking onto the Hamilton Tiger-Cats roster where he exploded onto the scene as a longsnapper and special teams specialist, registering 23 special teams tackles.
Yet a two plus year long battle with depression derailed the promising career of Matechuk's, who faced the music of his legal woes by spending 60 days in prison as well as facing the media, using his battle with depression for good during an upfront and honest media swing where he has began to try to reach people with his message, using his past for good.
His former head coach at the YRHS, Roby Sharpe is proud and happy that Matechuk has this opportunity to crack the Riders squad. "When I first met Jordan the first thing he told me when he was 13 was that he wanted to play for the Riders and now he has a chance to do that and I am extremely proud of him," says Sharpe.
Riders training camp is currently underway in Saskatoon where Matechuk will look to impress as a linebacker, longsnapper and special teams weapon. If Matechuk can crack the Riders for 2013 it will be a feel good ending for a man who has faced his demons and appears to be headed in the right direction. For now Matechuk is living out the dream of everyone with his childhood team.
