The seed to have Jimmy Ralph play with the Calgary Colts was planted at a Calgary Stampeders charity golf tournament.
His brother Brett mentioned to former Stampeders teammate and the Stampeders’ current offensive coordinator Dave Dickenson that his younger brother was looking for a place to play. Jimmy was the last in the line of Ralph family pass catchers.
“Dickenson said ‘he’s welcome to come practice with us and I’m sure the Colts would love to have him,’ ” Jimmy recounted. “I called (Colts head coach) John Stevens and told him I might be interested.
“The more I talked to them the more I realized this would be a good experience.”
It worked out extremely well for all involved. The Colts got a go-to receiver and a well-liked teammate for one season and Ralph got another season to develop working with a top junior program while practicing with the Canadian Football League team – all at one place, McMahon Stadium.
“I absolutely loved every second of it,” Ralph said.
The 20-year-old is back in his hometown of Raymond, Alta., working out with his brothers preparing to play college football in the United States. He has accepted a scholarship offer at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, a 10-hour drive from home.
Ralph believes the season he spent with the Colts in the Canadian Junior Football League got him ready for the next step.
He was named to the Prairie Football Conference all-conference team and all-rookie team in his lone season with the Colts in 2012.
Ralph is the youngest of four football-playing Ralph brothers. His three older brothers all played at the University of Wyoming. Brock and Brett both played in the CFL and Dustin is currently the Comets’ very successful head coach.
Jimmy Ralph graduated from high school in 2011 and went on a mission for the Mormon church in Chile but came home after three months. While at home in the winter of 2012 the plan for him to join the Colts was hatched.
The Colts spent the bulk of the 2012 regular season in the No. 1 spot in the CJFL rankings but were upset by the Regina Thunder in the PFC semifinal after going 8-0 in the regular season.
Ralph was part of a very talented receiving corps.
“I was surrounded by great players,” he said. “I wish it could have gone a little differently at times because I had some injuries – a concussion and this or that. I couldn’t have done much without Derek Cooper as my quarterback and the other receivers – we had a bunch of guys who had the ability to make big plays.
“We had the offence to win a national championship – we just came up one game short.”
Ralph will attend Weber State with the goal of getting a degree in education and returning home to coach the Comets and teach. His three brothers all have teaching degrees.
Because of transfer rules he may have to sit out the 2013 season, though an appeal of that rule is pending.
Ralph will take great memories from his time with the Colts.
“I’d like to thank the coaches and all the good friends I met,’ he said.
“It was a great experience.”
photo credit: Shawn Thompson (silverfoxphotography.ca)
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