Proving anything is possible
Enough Said is a regular feature of the Concordia University Magazine. In the 2012 summer issue, Burke Dales, alumnus and Edmonton Eskimo, shares his Concordia experience.
One of our most important choices concerns finding a college or university that most aptly fits our goals. As a high school football player coming out of eastern Ontario in 1997, I committed to Concordia for its rich culture and diversity, strong academic components and top-notch football program.
It took me a few years to decide my academic direction: sociology and political science. It also took some time to establish myself with the football team and earn a starting position. I joined the Stingers as a slotback but switched to outside linebacker in my third year.
But just as I began to excel in the classroom and on the field, the worst-case scenario became reality: On a play I don’t care to remember, I suffered a potentially career-ending shoulder injury. My doctor told me I’d never play contact sports again. I felt completely deflated, demotivated and without direction. Sports were my life, what defined me as a person, so it took a lot of time and rehab to re-evaluate my future.
The next summer, in 2000, Gerry McGrath became Concordia’s head coach. He asked me to make the transition to full-time punter. It made sense because I was desperate to remain an integral part of the team; I wasn’t prepared to give up what I treasured most, the camaraderie and bonding with teammates.
I laboured relentlessly that summer to develop my kicking skills. Gerry, a former punter himself, shared his expertise and worked closely with me. If he hadn’t taken me under his wing I would not be where I am today, and for that I’m very grateful.
Over the next two seasons I became a Quebec and Canadian all star and shone in class. On Gerry’s recommendation, I tried out for the National Football League’s Pittsburgh Steelers. It was an amazing experience but ultimately I was released and back on a plane to Canada.
In 2003, I completed my degree at Concordia and signed with the Montreal Alouettes, but was again cut. I felt defeated, time to hang up the cleats. I bought a one-way ticket to Calgary and entered the corporate world, leaving my beloved sport in the dust.
A few years later — 2005 — I abruptly woke from a vivid dream: I was back on the field kicking the ball. I still had the competitive itch. I had to find out if it was meant to be. So I tried out for Calgary, driven to not only make the team but become the best in the league. That year, I became a Stampeder!
I spent seven productive seasons with the Stamps, which included being a team captain my last three years and twice being named a Canadian Football League all star. I had set a goal and finally achieved it.
The individual awards were gratifying but team success means most to me. We sealed the deal in 2008’s Grey Cup game at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium against the Alouettes — the team that cut me five years earlier. Hoisting the Grey Cup over my head was an extremely emotional moment, what I consider to be the greatest accomplishment in my sporting career.
This year I signed a three-year contract as a free agent with Calgary’s biggest rival, the Edmonton Eskimos. I’m very excited to start the next chapter of both my life and career. I’ve trained this off-season more than ever before, and to be joining such a successful and storied franchise is invigorating.
As clichéd as this may sound, I truly believe, “If you want something bad enough, anything is possible.” But you must have the will and be prepared to make the sometimes painful sacrifices along the way.
Related links:
• Read the full Concordia University Magazine