In recent years the Holy Cross Crusaders have taken over the ranks of the DSFL draft as four players have come through in the past two seasons. Between Ryan Cobalt, Luke Boechler, and Sam Garrad there have been some great successes, and with Boechler and Garrad entering the league this season through the draft it’s an exciting time to be a citizen of the small Midwest city of Saskatoon. Alongside these three exceptional players though is a fourth one that not many people have heard of and that’s because his impact on the history of the Crusaders football program and the football world in general has been pretty small compared to the likes of his team mates. This play is Eric Legstrong, the previous kicker/punter for the Holy Cross football program before he has recently announced that he will be entering the DSFL draft as a college freshman. Legstrong fielded no offers from any team in the entire NCAA circuit and his only offer from CIS came from the University of Alberta to be the third string kicker. On this note, Legstrong decided the best course of action would be to join an even more competitive scene.
While there are a number of characters from Saskatchewan who have joined in recent seasons, amidst the showdown between the showboating Antonio Summer and aggressive Ryan Cobalt to Luke Boechler’s drinking and drugs problems and ending with Sam Garrad’s complete lack of anything that sets him above the bar and making him the most average player ever, Legstrong falls on the other end of the spectrum. He has something very special about him, and it’s that he is complete and utter shit when it comes to aiming the ball. When you look across the league at different kicker’s and punter’s you’ll find that most sacrifice their ability to kick far in order to gain more accuracy, but the message is the complete opposite when it comes to this young star from Saskatchewan. Legstrong went 1/8 on field goals and 0/4 on extra points last season before his team pulled him completely from that lineup and returned him to his role as a punter. When it comes to punting though, no one can rival Legstrong who like his name, has a strong leg. The young star’s shortest punt of the season was 63 yards and he topped out at an amazing 95 yards, taking it completely down the field. If you’re looking for a guy to simply boot it, you’re in the right place.
Now there is some things to be considered when approaching drafting Legstrong. The most notable of these is his connections with his fellow team mates. Legstrong was kind of the glue of the team back in Saskatoon and was a major part of the success due to his constant ability to band the team together. He has requested through his agent publicly that he be placed on a team with his fellow team mates from back in his Crusaders days, whether it be Summer, Cobalt, Boechler, or Garrad. He has also requested that he be the starting kicker/punter from his first day on the job and has made a promise that this season he will attempt to be more accurate, but that he does not want to sacrifice his kicking power in order to get there. He has stated that while these requests are quite normal, he thinks it will be difficult for teams to meet his demands because they probably won’t see them in the first place. He would tag the GM’s in question but he doesn’t know who they are or how to do that quite yet.
We were able to sit down with the young player and ask him some questions in a “get to know him” styled interview, with less about football and more just about his upbringing and his time in Saskatoon and with the Crusaders team. Here is the answers down below.
To begin, what do you think was the biggest value that was instilled in you as a kid that made you into a good football player?
I think quite simply the biggest thing has always just been my willingness to be a part of the team. You know, through the years I played on some rough squads and there were definitely some ups and down but I was also trying to be that guy who my team mates could come to if they were having any troubles or concerns about the team. My dad was coach through my KFL years when I played for the [Silverspring] Titans and he kind of helped me take on that role a lot of the time so I really have him to thank. He made me into the team first type player that I am today.
Great answer, what was it like growing up in a small city such as Saskatoon out in Midwestern Canada?
I don’t think people give Saskatchewan enough credit, because really there’s a lot going on out here in the prairies. I think a big thing people fail to understand is the natural beauty of this province, and before someone brings up the prairies I should mention that the northern part of the province is completely covered in forest and eventually up towards Uranium City even tundra. We have a massive amount of wildlife in the Prince Albert National Park including deer, bears, rabbits, and wolves and have some of the most beautiful natural bodies such as the twisted trees in the South, and Cypress Hills in the West. There is so much natural beauty here. As for Saskatoon, it really isn’t all that bad. You get used to the idea of being in a medium sized city, and it’s nice being able to get from point A to point B with relative ease. Unlike the rest of the guys I wasn’t born in a smaller town, so to me Saskatoon is the only home I’ve known and I’ll defend it like hell.
Who were your biggest role models growing up, both in football and out of it?
This will seem like a corny answer but I have always looked up my big brother a ton. He’s never took a lot of interest in the same things as me, and he’s more of a basketball guy but he’s definitely someone that I look up to a ton and respect like hell. Growing up he was always someone I could reach out too despite being three years older than me, and when we got into high school the ribbing wasn’t all that bad. As for in football, Micycle McCormick was one of my biggest heroes for the longest time. Watching him play for the Colorado Yeti was awesome, and seeing him win the Punter of the Years Award last night was out of this world. He’s a great athlete and an even greater influence for the generation of young special teams players that is coming up. It’s obviously a huge loss to see a guy like him get injured and quit his kicking career, but I think that he will certainly make his mark on this league as a quarterback in the long run.
What are some of your interest outside of football?
I’ve always been a huge fan of soccer – it’s clique I know – and I’ve loved playing it since I was a little kid but since the season runs the same during the fall in high school, I had to stop playing it in high school. I want to pick it up again now that I’m out if I have time in the off-season though. I also love hanging out with my little step brother who’s a year younger than me, we’ll hang out around the house and just watch videos or play ping pong, whatever happens to be the most intriguing thing at the time. Now that he’s a senior he doesn’t need his big brother as much, and I’m sure he’ll do all the same dumb things I did last year like throwing parties when mom and dad go out of town. Other than that I head up to my lake a lot and like spending quality time outside where I can kind of get away from the buzz for a little bit and just keep my head down and what not. It gives me a nice clear space to really feel my thoughts.
How far do you see this idea of being a professional football player going?
Well I’m not really sure what you mean by that. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NSFL and with some great player to look up to like Turk Turkleton and previously Micycle McCormick I know that any player can get up there and do great. There is so much room in the league for a young kicker to step up and make his mark, and I think that player could be me. Obviously I have to hone my craft which we have seen by the general lack of interest anyone had in me when I graduated high school, but I think that’s all going to change when I start running the league this season in the DSFL. You just watch, I will be one of the most influential players to ever play, and I’ll be a huge part of any locker room I’m in. You can count on that for sure. I may not be the most physically able, and to GM’s it might seem like a kind of joke that I exist but I promise I’m here to leave my strong and permanent mark.
There have been some conerns about your recent lack of activity in training and developing as a prospect. What do you have to see regarding those concerns?
While for a number of reasons I haven’t been around the gym and practice facilities as much as I would like to be. I will be at the draft combine this week though, and you can look forward to seeing that my numbers will be just as strong as any of my competition. I really do believe that I have what it takes to be one of the best ever at my position, but obviously right now that dream seems far off. I understand that it’s going to take a lot more than half assed work to get where I want to go, so I will be working very hard to make that happen. It’s just the last few weeks have been such a turbulent time in my life and there’s been so many changes going on in terms of moving out, and convincing my parents to support me until I sign my first contract. There is a lot to consider and not enough time to do it all, but I will be there the first day of training camp and I can guarantee that.
Last question, where do you want to see yourself on draft night?
While I want to answer with the Portland Pythons, but I really don’t know. Antonio [Summer] told me that the team was going to be picking me up for the Ultimini run that they went on, but I never heard anything from the GM’s and never got paid out with a contract plus I obviously didn’t play so I don’t really know what happened honestly. I think there must have been some mistake in communication between me and Antonio or between him and the Portland GM’s. Regardless, Portland is definitely not out of the picture. There are a lot of great teams around the league that I would love to be a part of and I’m not ruling anyone out quite yet, especially since I am basically completely undeveloped and unproved. I just want GM’s to know that while my numbers may not reflect well, I am going to be one of the best selections you ever make if you are willing to take a giant leap.
While there are a number of characters from Saskatchewan who have joined in recent seasons, amidst the showdown between the showboating Antonio Summer and aggressive Ryan Cobalt to Luke Boechler’s drinking and drugs problems and ending with Sam Garrad’s complete lack of anything that sets him above the bar and making him the most average player ever, Legstrong falls on the other end of the spectrum. He has something very special about him, and it’s that he is complete and utter shit when it comes to aiming the ball. When you look across the league at different kicker’s and punter’s you’ll find that most sacrifice their ability to kick far in order to gain more accuracy, but the message is the complete opposite when it comes to this young star from Saskatchewan. Legstrong went 1/8 on field goals and 0/4 on extra points last season before his team pulled him completely from that lineup and returned him to his role as a punter. When it comes to punting though, no one can rival Legstrong who like his name, has a strong leg. The young star’s shortest punt of the season was 63 yards and he topped out at an amazing 95 yards, taking it completely down the field. If you’re looking for a guy to simply boot it, you’re in the right place.
Now there is some things to be considered when approaching drafting Legstrong. The most notable of these is his connections with his fellow team mates. Legstrong was kind of the glue of the team back in Saskatoon and was a major part of the success due to his constant ability to band the team together. He has requested through his agent publicly that he be placed on a team with his fellow team mates from back in his Crusaders days, whether it be Summer, Cobalt, Boechler, or Garrad. He has also requested that he be the starting kicker/punter from his first day on the job and has made a promise that this season he will attempt to be more accurate, but that he does not want to sacrifice his kicking power in order to get there. He has stated that while these requests are quite normal, he thinks it will be difficult for teams to meet his demands because they probably won’t see them in the first place. He would tag the GM’s in question but he doesn’t know who they are or how to do that quite yet.
We were able to sit down with the young player and ask him some questions in a “get to know him” styled interview, with less about football and more just about his upbringing and his time in Saskatoon and with the Crusaders team. Here is the answers down below.
To begin, what do you think was the biggest value that was instilled in you as a kid that made you into a good football player?
I think quite simply the biggest thing has always just been my willingness to be a part of the team. You know, through the years I played on some rough squads and there were definitely some ups and down but I was also trying to be that guy who my team mates could come to if they were having any troubles or concerns about the team. My dad was coach through my KFL years when I played for the [Silverspring] Titans and he kind of helped me take on that role a lot of the time so I really have him to thank. He made me into the team first type player that I am today.
Great answer, what was it like growing up in a small city such as Saskatoon out in Midwestern Canada?
I don’t think people give Saskatchewan enough credit, because really there’s a lot going on out here in the prairies. I think a big thing people fail to understand is the natural beauty of this province, and before someone brings up the prairies I should mention that the northern part of the province is completely covered in forest and eventually up towards Uranium City even tundra. We have a massive amount of wildlife in the Prince Albert National Park including deer, bears, rabbits, and wolves and have some of the most beautiful natural bodies such as the twisted trees in the South, and Cypress Hills in the West. There is so much natural beauty here. As for Saskatoon, it really isn’t all that bad. You get used to the idea of being in a medium sized city, and it’s nice being able to get from point A to point B with relative ease. Unlike the rest of the guys I wasn’t born in a smaller town, so to me Saskatoon is the only home I’ve known and I’ll defend it like hell.
Who were your biggest role models growing up, both in football and out of it?
This will seem like a corny answer but I have always looked up my big brother a ton. He’s never took a lot of interest in the same things as me, and he’s more of a basketball guy but he’s definitely someone that I look up to a ton and respect like hell. Growing up he was always someone I could reach out too despite being three years older than me, and when we got into high school the ribbing wasn’t all that bad. As for in football, Micycle McCormick was one of my biggest heroes for the longest time. Watching him play for the Colorado Yeti was awesome, and seeing him win the Punter of the Years Award last night was out of this world. He’s a great athlete and an even greater influence for the generation of young special teams players that is coming up. It’s obviously a huge loss to see a guy like him get injured and quit his kicking career, but I think that he will certainly make his mark on this league as a quarterback in the long run.
What are some of your interest outside of football?
I’ve always been a huge fan of soccer – it’s clique I know – and I’ve loved playing it since I was a little kid but since the season runs the same during the fall in high school, I had to stop playing it in high school. I want to pick it up again now that I’m out if I have time in the off-season though. I also love hanging out with my little step brother who’s a year younger than me, we’ll hang out around the house and just watch videos or play ping pong, whatever happens to be the most intriguing thing at the time. Now that he’s a senior he doesn’t need his big brother as much, and I’m sure he’ll do all the same dumb things I did last year like throwing parties when mom and dad go out of town. Other than that I head up to my lake a lot and like spending quality time outside where I can kind of get away from the buzz for a little bit and just keep my head down and what not. It gives me a nice clear space to really feel my thoughts.
How far do you see this idea of being a professional football player going?
Well I’m not really sure what you mean by that. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NSFL and with some great player to look up to like Turk Turkleton and previously Micycle McCormick I know that any player can get up there and do great. There is so much room in the league for a young kicker to step up and make his mark, and I think that player could be me. Obviously I have to hone my craft which we have seen by the general lack of interest anyone had in me when I graduated high school, but I think that’s all going to change when I start running the league this season in the DSFL. You just watch, I will be one of the most influential players to ever play, and I’ll be a huge part of any locker room I’m in. You can count on that for sure. I may not be the most physically able, and to GM’s it might seem like a kind of joke that I exist but I promise I’m here to leave my strong and permanent mark.
There have been some conerns about your recent lack of activity in training and developing as a prospect. What do you have to see regarding those concerns?
While for a number of reasons I haven’t been around the gym and practice facilities as much as I would like to be. I will be at the draft combine this week though, and you can look forward to seeing that my numbers will be just as strong as any of my competition. I really do believe that I have what it takes to be one of the best ever at my position, but obviously right now that dream seems far off. I understand that it’s going to take a lot more than half assed work to get where I want to go, so I will be working very hard to make that happen. It’s just the last few weeks have been such a turbulent time in my life and there’s been so many changes going on in terms of moving out, and convincing my parents to support me until I sign my first contract. There is a lot to consider and not enough time to do it all, but I will be there the first day of training camp and I can guarantee that.
Last question, where do you want to see yourself on draft night?
While I want to answer with the Portland Pythons, but I really don’t know. Antonio [Summer] told me that the team was going to be picking me up for the Ultimini run that they went on, but I never heard anything from the GM’s and never got paid out with a contract plus I obviously didn’t play so I don’t really know what happened honestly. I think there must have been some mistake in communication between me and Antonio or between him and the Portland GM’s. Regardless, Portland is definitely not out of the picture. There are a lot of great teams around the league that I would love to be a part of and I’m not ruling anyone out quite yet, especially since I am basically completely undeveloped and unproved. I just want GM’s to know that while my numbers may not reflect well, I am going to be one of the best selections you ever make if you are willing to take a giant leap.