Life after football: CFL alumni offered education opportunities through Sask. Polytech
The Canadian Football League Alumni Association is teaming up with Saskatchewan Polytechnic to provide opportunities for athletes and their spouses to advance their education.
A signing event was held Wednesday morning at Mosaic Stadium to formalize the partnership.
“This is a big day for Saskatchewan Polytechnic,” said Paul Carter, dean of the School of Continuing Education at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. “Our goal is to inspire success in every learning journey. It’s a real opportunity for us to be able to work so closely with the CFL Alumni Association and help players and former players reach their next career goal for a life after football.”
The program will give those eligible access to the School of Continuing Education. It is similar to a program already in place with the CFLPA and Roughriders Alumni, which will benefit more players and their family members. Membership in the CFLAA is optional. There are currently over 2,000 members across Canada and the United States.
“No active player wants to believe that their career is going to be cut short or they’re not going to make the team,” said Andrew Greene, former Saskatchewan Roughrider and Saskatchewan Polytechnic alumnus. “Reality is going to set in. What are they going to do? Work, job, money, life still goes on.”
Greene said he hadn’t completed his degree before he was drafted, but went back and finished it after his football career ended. He also took a project management course at Saskatchewan Polytechnic to further his education.
“Unfortunately in football, there is a 100 per cent injury rate,” said Brett MacNeil, president of the CFLAA. ”Many off-seasons are spent under the surgeon’s knife and then in the treatment room for six months of rehab trying to win your job again come June.”
MacNeil said the program involves career counselling, tuition support, and credit support.
“Everyone wants to talk about career transition while you’re playing, but there are challenges,“ said MacNeil. “If you’re injured during the season, you’re not going to be available in the off-season to maybe take a course or to work towards a new job or even be self-employed. So career transition, particularly through a pandemic where forced retirements are at an all-time high, we need to help these guys out.
“I might go back and take another course now,” Greene said. “You never know.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.