Mark Stephen
CFL.ca
This weekend dozens of rookies will take to the field for their Canadian Football League teams. Most will occupy necessary but low-profile roles. They may be part of a special teams unit or toil in the trenches on the line.
That typical rookie job description doesn’t fit the weekend plans for Rene Parades.
The freshman will be handling the placekicking duties for the Calgary Stampeders and may be the first player to touch the ball at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium.
It is actually a role that Parades relishes.
“I hope I get to kick off first to get all the nerves out of the way, noted the Concordia product,”
The whole week may have been great but also completely unexpected. Parades was sitting at home in Mont real after being released by Winnipeg in training camp. He was considering a return to Concordia for his final year with the Stingers.
Then came Canada Day.
Calgary’s incumbent kicker Rob Maver struggled with a torn quad muscle. He has since been placed on the nine-game injured list. However that injury sent the Stampeder scrambling for a kicker.
Coach John Hufnagel and his personnel began calling for replacements and wound up with four candidates Sunday afternoon at McMahon Stadium.
Parades was joined by University of Calgary kicker Aaron Ified as well as CFL veterans Jamie Boreham and Matt Kellett.
In one week, Parades went from watching Canadian Football League games to playing in one. His rise through the CFL ranks is slightly more improbable than his introduction to football.
The Venezulean-born Parades began kicking a soccer ball around as a youth. His father’s business took him to Miami and then to Montreal.
Eventually he ended up at Concordia where he successfully kicked 54 field goals in four CIS seasons. His arrival in Calgary gives the Stampeders an all-Concordia kicking tandem.
Veteran Calgary punter Burke Dales also graduated from the Montreal school.
Now Parades must put the crazy week of transition behind him and prepare for the BC Lions.
“I’m getting ready and getting focused for my first CFL game,” he said upon arriving in Vancouver.
”It is going to be exciting. I’ll try not to put too much pressure on myself. I’m just going to go out there and enjoy myself.”
Things will be a lot more enjoyable for Parades if everything goes his way in his debut. At least, he has the solid backing of Coach John Hufnagel.
“The other day when we had our kickers in, it was intense competition. Rene did an excellent job. I’m sure he is going to be nervous, but I’m please with the way he competes and handles situations.”
The kicking game isn’t the only situation for Hufnagel. Canadian defensive lineman Cory Mace underwent surgery this week for a torn Achilles tendon and is lost for the season.
The Stampeders will also battle BC without veteran receiver Ken Yon Rambo. He is out with a hamstring injury and will be replaced for this week by second year speedster Landon Talley.
Also sitting this week for the Stampeders is linebacker Malik Jackson who is fighting a concussion issue. He is viewed as day-to-day by the club.
Calgary enters the game with a string of successes in Vancouver. The Stamps have won their last five trips to Vancouver, including a pair last season.
Regardless of the outcome in Vancouver, the Stamps will have little time to celebrate or commiserate.
They have a short week with a Thursday, July 14 date in Winnipeg against the Blue Bombers.a
