With Canada West football about to kick off their 2022 regular season, Canoe Lake Cree Nation’s own Damon Iron is ready and raring to go.
The 6’4”, 320 pound offensive lineman is an alumnus of both the St. Mary Marauders and Regina Thunder, and takes pride in his athletic roots. The thing Iron remembers the most about his time with the Marauders is the camaraderie.
“At St. Mary’s, we were a pretty tight knit group when I was there,” Iron remembered. “I brought what I learned from my coaches and my teammates to the Rams, and brought it there.
“I absolutely brought the work ethic I learned from them with me.”
Iron did not make the jump directly from high school football to Canadian Interuniversity Sports. Rather, he played with the Canadian Junior Football League’s Regina Thunder, where his work ethic was solidified.
“It was a big jump, going from number one, number two top dog to the bottom of the barrel, but it was good,” said Iron.
“It was fast. It was intense. Faster than any high school game I’d ever played. That was just the tryouts and practices. The competition level was definitely up there, so it was exciting.”
Iron is currently in training camp with the Rams, putting in some pre-season action, and his work ethic has not wavered.
“These past two weeks, I’ve been working very hard to get where the Rams need me to be,” he said.
Iron saw action in the Rams’ first preseason game, a 34-11 loss to the Alberta Golden Bears, but Iron did not see the event as a defeat.
“It was a game to test out everyone, and see where we’re at, and what we could do,” he said. “I think overall, everyone did really well. Both teams played great.”
Why would Iron advise other student athletes to take the Canadian Interuniversity Sports route?
“It’s just a good way to do what you love but also, getting your diploma or degree on top of that. You are called a student athlete, but the two just go hand in hand. So long as you’re a good student, there’s no reason why you can’t be a good player, too.
“Honestly, it’s been the best time of my life, playing for the Rams while getting my education.”
Iron is studying to be a high school teacher, and advises others, “You can do anything that you want to do in this life, as long as you buy into it, stay dedicated and work hard.”
The Rams start their regular season visiting the University of Manitoba Bisons Sept. 2, followed up Sept. 9, with their home opener against the University of Calgary Dinos. All games can be seen on SaskTel Max TV 48/348.