A Sylvan Lake school teacher is chasing his dream of becoming a professional football player, and will travel to Richmond, Va. next month to showcase his skills at a walk-on tryout with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.
Matt Merkley, 26, teaches Grade 5 at École Steffie Woima Elementary School, and was encouraged to attend the tryouts by his brother, who learned about them online.
Initially thinking his brother was joking, Merkley was eventually convinced to begin organizing the trip, and will spend the weekend of Apr. 5 doing his best to impress.
“I get one chance to do it and it would be a fun experience, so I just decided to do it,” he said. “As for nerves, I’m very nervous, but I don’t think I’m just walking on blindly. I’ve put my time in to train.”
That time training has been spent in both Sylvan Lake and Red Deer, where he’s been preparing for the skill-specific testing he’ll undergo in the States.
Trying out as a receiver, he’ll be tested primarily for his skills in catching and running.
“I’ve always worked out, but (my current training) is more specific to what I’m aiming for,” he said.
If his tryout is successful, Merkley will be selected to the team and become a professional football player.
That would come following his many years of playing and coaching the sport in Sylvan Lake and around the province.
Currently, he plays for Central Alberta Buccaneers. He previously played for the University of Alberta, and recently helped coach Sylvan Lake Bantam Lions.
His decision to tryout for the Stampeders generated much excitement among the Lions, who have been raising funds to help cover the cost of his trip.
A bottle drive and a bakeless bake sale were organized by parents and players of the team, and Merkley is grateful for their support.
“I didn’t go around telling too many people about what I was doing, but when it got to the football community, they got this going, and the support has been amazing,” he said. “It was definitely unexpected.”