Noah Pelletier’s immersion in his favourite sport extends beyond poring over a playbook and throwing passes.
Over the past couple of months, the third-year University of Regina Rams quarterback has introduced youngsters to football in his capacity as Program Co-ordinator for Grow the Game.
“It was honestly the perfect summer job,” he says. “I couldn’t think of something better.”
In conjunction with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation and Football Saskatchewan, Pelletier has conducted camps in assorted areas of the province and opened the door to and for traditional football demographics.
“It has been awesome,” he says. “I’ve been so happy to have this opportunity to be a part of it.”
Creating opportunities for developing athletes has been the emphasis.
“There have been a lot of full-on camps and a few pop-up camps as well,” Pelletier notes.
“With full-on camps, it was focusing on introducing different kids to football. It’s really starting from the basics and teaching them some of the rules and how football works and playing games with them and allowing them to try out some of the different skills.
“With the pop-up camps, we just have a little football net set up to let them throw a few footballs around and talk to them about football and about the Riders or whatever it is.
“At the end of the day, putting a smile on their face was the biggest thing.”
At 22, Pelletier is not far-removed from the days when he was an attendee at camps while honing the skills that eventually served him and his teams so well in the high school ranks (with the Balfour Bears) and at the university level.
“Looking back on it, I went to so many football camps growing up and camps involving a bunch of different sports,” he reflects.
“I was grateful that my parents signed me up for a lot of different opportunities, whether it be flag football or tackle football.
“I got to be around a lot of Rams players and Regina Thunder players when I was younger. I remember looking up to them a lot and just being super grateful to have those opportunities
“Now, to be in their shoes where I have this opportunity for these kids to look up to me and to be able to make an impact on these kids, it’s something I’m super grateful for.”
That was especially true when Grow the Game camps were held at Piapot First Nation, Cote First Nation and, this past Friday in Saskatoon, the White Buffalo Youth Lodge.
“I’m Metis, so I have that connection,” Pelletier says. “It’s nice to give back to my community in that way.
“Being in these different First Nations communities, you see a lot of kids who don’t really understand football, haven’t seen football or haven’t played football. It’s nice that I kind of get to be the person to introduce them to the game.
“It can just be something they try out for the day or it could spark something and they want to continue on with it by playing flag, tackle or just watching games — whether it’s the Rams, the Riders or whatever team they follow.
“With some of the kids who do have a football background, it’s nice to be able to build on that and talk to them about that. Hopefully that can spark something and they stick with it.”
Pelletier was a natural for the Program Co-ordinator role when you consider his passion for football and the fact that he is majoring in education at the U of R.
“I’m super grateful that the Foundation and Football Sask helped me out on this,” the two-time Academic All-Canadian says.
“I’m grateful to still be on the Rams and still be playing on the Rams and having a lot of great teammates who also helped me out with this and to have had the coaches’ support throughout this.
“It was an amazing experience. I learned a lot from it and I hope to continue to do it, whatever that means for me, in the coming years.”
• For more information on the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation and its various initiatives, visit THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDER FOUNDATION
