McMaster adds a CJFLer to their team.
It took Hayden Amis, a receiver from Southwood High School, some time to find his path, but after putting his heart and soul into the sport he loves, he was rewarded with an offer from the McMaster Marauders.
By Joanna Kurowski.
His story begins in 2014. āAt the time, he wasnāt university bound, not having an academic bone in his body,ā said his father, Steven Amis. Hayden continued to play football with the Cambridge Lions (OPFL) and his high school club, the Southwood Sabres (WCSSAA) for as long as he could. When he graduated, he played for a bit at Conestoga College.
āHe resigned himself that heād have to work for a living,ā Steve said. āIt takes kids a little extra time sometimesā¦itching to play football, he joined the menās league Tri-City Outlaws this spring and the ābugā was reignited.ā
It was here that Hayden decided to take a gamble; he quit his job and focused solely on football. āPlaying both ways as a rookie with the Outlaws, as well as long-snapping, gave him a ton of confidence,ā Steve said. Hayden found success at the long-snapping position and was named as the teamās special teams player of the year for 2017.
The day after the Outlawsā championship game, Hayden was lining up with the London Beefeaters (CJFL). The 6ā4, 220lbs slotback and wide receiver finished first in the league in receptions and was named as the teamās offensive MVP.
āWith the support and encouragement of the Beefsā and Outlawsā staff and players, he started upgrading his marks and the calls from U Sports teams started coming in,ā Steve said.
Courtesy of Hayden Amis.
One such team was the Marauders, who Hayden took a shine to. āI committed to McMaster because of the academic support, (its) distance to home and the culture in place,ā Hayden said, who is interested in environmental studies. āThe coaching staff seems great. I canāt wait to get to work with them.ā
Hayden is from Ayr, Ontario, which is west of Hamilton.
āThe boyās passion and love of football has him excited about a university education at a prestigious school and what the future could hold,ā Steve said. āFootball has always been sold as having a positive influence teaching all the tenants that we can list, but here is proof positive that it can make a big difference in a kidās opportunities and (that) itās never too late.ā
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