Regina Thunder raising money for ALS, cause close to home for player

For every special teams point this season the Regina Thunder football team will be donating five dollars to the ALS Society of Saskatchewan with their “Kick for a Cause” initiative.

“So whether that be kicks out of me, we’ve had our other guy Zack in so those points, then other stuff like other team’s safety’s. We’re just going to count it all,” kicker and punter Eric Maximuik said.

The initiative was brought forth by Maximuik, who lost his dad to ALS when he was in high school.

“It was definitely tough, especially your last year of high school and it was during football season too. It was definitely a barrier and an obstacle at the time and you know still is to a point,” Maximuik said.

“He had ALS for a couple of years, so [it’s] pretty cool to do something like that. It relates real close.”

It’s a cause the entire team wanted to get on board with when the idea was brought forward.

“I thought it was great. The coaches always preach about giving back to the community and it’s great when we can give back to those in need,” linebacker Mitchell Tanchak said.

“It’s been in the works for a couple of years so I’m glad it finally came forth. I’m hoping we can go up there this weekend and kick 25 field goals. I know the offence doesn’t want to hear that but we’ll definitely take all of that money for ALS,” special teams coach Brett Strong said.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts sent to your device

Maximuik is in his fifth season with the Thunder and is expected to help raise a lot of money for the ALS Society of Saskatchewan with his skill set.

"As a kicker he’s probably the best in Canada at the CJFL [Canadian Junior Football League] level. There’s not a thing we can’t ask him to go out there and do,” Strong said.

So far this season the team has recorded 52 special teams points for a total of $260. However, Maximuik does not plan on ending the cause close to him there.

“After this year and football who knows where life will take me next. But it will definitely be something [that is] always in the back in my mind, I’ll try and give back in that way,” he said.

Donations can also be made on the Regina Thunder website.