The Clan football program has a rich history in the Canadian Football League, with alumni signing professional contracts almost every year, representing the school and the team in the highest level of football competition offered in Canada.
This year appears to be no different, as two SFU athletes find themselves in the top-15 of the CFL draft rankings. Seniors Casey Chin and Matthias Goossen, both British Columbia natives, made the Fall 2014 cut, ranked 12th and 15th respectively in early September.
With Simon Fraser now a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), recruiters’ eyes are turning more and more in the direction of the sole Canadian school in the league. As a new era begins for the school on the hill, the importance of feeding the CFL becomes even greater.
“There is definitely more pressure to be sending guys to the CFL now,” explained Clan head coach Dave Johnson. “Being able to offer the NCAA experience in Canada is such a draw for young talent, and as we begin to attract the best players in the country, we need to prepare them for potential CFL careers.”
That spirit and passion for the sport in Canada is what excites Johnson as he talks about the Clan’s CFL ties, and the trust that he has in Simon Fraser’s ability to offer a unique opportunity to student-athletes is unwavering.
“We are the only NCAA school in Canada, and I believe that our team needs to be comprised of a Canadian core . . . we aim to develop players to a point where professional scouts are looking at them for the future.”
And that tradition runs deep, with over 140 Clan alumni having signed with CFL teams since the school’s opening in 1965. In 1970 alone, 23 players from the 9-0 Clan squad were drafted into the league. It was certainly a unique year, but very indicative of the quality of players that have moved through the program.
“I have CFL scouts coming to watch games, and review game tapes; they can’t talk to the guys but they tell me that we really have a different calibre of player here. We are strong, we are tough and that is evident when the draft does come around,” Johnson continued.
With the 2013 season having begun, CFL scouts have certainly not overlooked the talent on Terry Fox Field. Both Chin and Goossen are deserving of the accolade, but equally humble, crediting much of their personal successes to their teammates and the program.
“It was exciting for sure to be recognized, and I have put in a lot of hard work during my time here, but nothing is set in stone,” said Goossen, an offensive lineman. “Right now I am focussed on this season with the Clan, so maybe after our season is done I can turn my attention to the draft, but right now we have work to do.”
Chin, a linebacker, had similar comments when asked about the accolade, explaining how important the team’s success is to the individual athletes that comprise it. “I work hard and try to do the right things on and off the field,” he mentioned. “It’s neat to be on the list but it is really about the team, and as we do better the more they notice individual players.”
Johnson is confident that following the 2013 collegiate season even more Clan athletes will be in consideration for professional contracts. “We have a strong senior class this season and I can see upwards of five guys having shots at the CFL from this year’s graduating class alone.” He continued, “We have great calibre athletes on the field which just pushes everyone else to become stronger to learn to play with and against them in
every practice.”
Chin agrees, and while he was appreciative of making the initial draft rankings list, he knows that his team’s talent runs extremely deep. “There are a lot of guys on our team that could have been on that list, Matthias and I were just lucky enough to have been chosen.”
As the Clan continue to improve within the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and make history as the first Canadian institution in the NCAA, the pressure to feed Canadian football programs will only increase, but Johnson and the Clan are prepared for the challenge.
“We offer a great, well-rounded program here. Being in the NCAA is a completely one-of-a-kind experience and combine that with the outstanding education that our student-athletes receive, it gives our student-athletes so many options. Our hope is that everyone can continue their athletic careers if they so desire, and our program’s success has and will continue to make that possible in the CFL.”
