For any university player making the jump to the pros, the length of the season is always a bit of an adjustment.
I can certainly tell you that I’ve got nicks and bruises all over. At the beginning of the season, it took a week to heal and now it’s taking two or three weeks to heal. So it’s definitely taking a toll on the body.
So there are a lot of nicks and bruises, but I’m surviving. I’ve worked out a lot more during the season, so I’m able to last longer. Things are going well so far. But it’s mentally tough.
On the whole, though, I feel I’ve been blessed for what’s happened to me this season. From being nowhere and not even being on the draft radar because there were false reports out there that I was done playing football to getting drafted by the Stampeders and doing my thing on special teams and defence . . . I feel blessed.
It’s a gift for me to be out there and do what I get to do.
The really nice thing for me this season is that my most of family in the Bahamas can watch me because they get TSN back home. It’s always a good feeling to hear from family back home or friends in university when they tell me they saw me on TV.
Going from university to the pros, the speed of the game has been an adjustment. There’s a lot more running and the guys are bigger and stronger, also. The mental aspect is challenging, too. You’ve got to be in it 24/7, to go hard every practice and there are no days off. I’m still trying to get used to that.
On defence, I’m backing up a few guys so I have to study the playbook even harder so that I know all the different positions. I’m in the playbook every day and I’m always going over things in my head. It’s all right — it’s pretty much what I thought it would be.
A lot of players have helped me, especially Juwan Simpson. We watch a lot of film and whenever I need help, he’s been there for me.
As a rookie, the work continues all the time because there’s always room for improvement. I’m learning stuff every day from the guys and the coaches. Every day, you learn something new. You can never learn enough in this game.
Karl McCartney, #45
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