By: Justin Boone
The Kick Of The Year
Nick Setta sends the fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium into a frenzy when he connects on a big field goal, but that pales in comparison to the smiles the Ticats kicker generated on Tuesday afternoon.
Looking like uprights in the distance, two big yellow school buses pulled up to the Reebok Outlet in Mississauga, filled with 80 elementary-aged children from inner city schools in Hamilton and Burlington, waiting to be a part of the Nick’s Kicks For Kids program, sponsored by Carmen’s Banquet Centre. Their excitement was matched only by Nick himself and Stripes, who boarded the buses and let the kids know that they would have the chance to head into the store and select whatever pair of shoes they wanted for free. Forget the jungle gym, on Tuesday afternoon, the outlets were the playground.
“The look on these kids faces as they were told they could pick any shoe, and to see their face when they got to try them on, it’s very rewarding. It’s just phenomenal,” said Janyce Robinson, the campaign manager and events coordinator for the United Way, who helped select the students that took part.
Surrounded by towering walls of Reebok runners, the kids made their way into the outlet and began the difficult process of finding the perfect pair of shoes for them. Luckily for them, their host was an expert in their midst.
“I’m like the shoe matchmaker,” Setta exclaimed as he walked through the isles. “I love shoe shopping, so to help these kids find their shoes is even more important because you don’t want the kids going home with shoes that they don’t really want. So you have to make sure everyone gets in there, sometimes they’re a little bit shy, they don’t know what they can take. The kids were awesome though, and the help here at the Reebok Outlet was fantastic. It’s all because of Carmen’s and their sponsorship, it’s a huge, huge deal.”
“Nick’s Kicks For Kids is a program that Nick approached me about last year,” explained the Ticats Director of Community Relations, Shawn Burke. “It was a little too late in the year to get it started, but this year we got it fully running, where every field goal over 40 yards that Nick makes a donation is made to Nick’s Kicks For Kids.”
For Setta it was an added incentive every time he lined up for a long field goal, knowing that with each kick he wasn’t only helping his team, but making a difference in the community as well. On the rare occasions when he did miss, his father took the opportunity to rub it in, kidding with him that he had let the children down.
In his two years in the CFL, Setta has established himself as one of the game’s best kickers, hitting 83 percent of his field goals and never missing an extra point. On Tuesday, he made the most important play of his young career. The result wasn’t a game winning field goal, but it might as well of been judging by the smiles and laughs it generated, as the kids had a chance to take home a pair of sneakers, while spending some time with their favourite kicker.
“This is just one of those really feel good opportunities that don’t
come along very often, and when you’re in the middle of a campaign like we are you’re going 24/7, 90 miles an hour, this is really what brings it home, it reminds you why we’re going 90 miles an hour seven days a week,” said Robinson.
Easier Said Than Done
(Quote of the Week)
“There are two sides to Peter, the bizarre Peter and the get down to business Peter.”
Offensive lineman J.P. Bekasiak describing his opponent Peter Dyakowski, who he faced off against in the semi-finals of Ticats Triathalon on Ticats TV.
Follow The Leader
(Leaders from CFL and the Ticats)
CFL Rushing – CGY Joffrey Reynolds – 226 carries, 1,295 yards, 10 TDs
Ticats Rushing – HAM Jesse Lumsden – 87 carries, 584 yards, 5 TDs
CFL Passing – MTL Anthony Calvillo – 472/682, 5,624 yards, 43 TDs
Ticats Passing – HAM Casey Printers – 118/207, 1,562 yards, 4 TDs
CFL Receiving – CGY Ken-Yon Rambo – 97 receptions, 1,392 yards, 8 TDs
Ticats Receiving – HAM Prechae Rodriguez – 64 receptions, 970 yards, 7 TDs
CFL Tackling – WPG Zeke Moreno – 93 Tackles
Ticats Tackling – HAM Markeith Knowlton – 87 Tackles
CFL Interceptions – HAM Chris Thompson, B.C. Barron Miles – 9 INTs
Ticats Interceptions – HAM Chris Thompson – 9 INTs
CFL Sacks – B.C. Cameron Wake – 20 Sacks
Ticats Sacks – HAM Darrell Adams – 8 Sacks
The Road To The Vanier Cup
(Weekly CIS Rankings)
Two Ontario teams continue to grace the Top 5, as the CIS Football’s Championship game nears. Here’s this week’s Top 5 as voted on by media members across the country.
1) Laval (8-0)
2) Queen’s (8-0)
3) Western (7-1)
4) Saskatchewan (6-2)
5) Saint Mary’s (7-1)
Let me know your thoughts on the week by sending your e-mails, comments, or questions to jboone@ticats.ca
