The scholarships keep coming for Yorkton football players, as YRHS Raider star Caleb Bymak is the most recent player to accept a scholarship to play in the CIS.
The 6鈥�2鈥�, 215-pound grade 12 student-athlete recently said yes to a scholarship offer from the University of Calgary Dinos following an outstanding high school career that saw the talented athlete star on both the offensive and defensive side of the football; a decision that Bymak said was a long time coming. 鈥淭he beginning of the season I had sent out a letter to a few CIS schools in western Canada,鈥� said Bymak, continuing, 鈥淚 sent out a letter saying who I was and promoting myself and I expressed my interest in playing post-secondary football and I said I鈥檇 be sending film out later.
鈥淚 did that during the middle of the season and the schools replied saying they鈥檇 like to see the film when I got it.鈥�
When Bymak sent out the video to the schools that said they were interested in his services he thought he鈥檇 have to wait a few weeks before hearing back from any prospective suitors.
He thought wrong. 鈥淚 sent out the film at the end of the season and about five minutes after I sent the email the coach, coach Wayne Harris of the Calgary Dinos, called me and asked what I thought about coming out for a visit sometime with Noah Zerr because they鈥檝e been talking to him too,鈥� recalled Bymak, a multisport athlete that competes in basketball, baseball and track as well. 鈥淚 thought that was pretty cool seeing how immediate their response was so I decided that I鈥檇 go for a visit to Calgary.鈥�
Bymak said that the near-instant response to his highlight video and email was just the first of many reasons why Calgary became his ultimate destination, suggesting that the program has a level of professionalism unmatched by other CIS schools. 鈥淥ne of the biggest things are first impressions and they flew Noah and I out there and no other place offered to do that,鈥� said the fullback/linebacker/defensive end, adding the day they arrived was a Dino game day and despite being busy, the coaches and players still had time to interact with the possible recruits. 鈥淲e met with the coaches before the game on game day and we got to meet with some of the players and they鈥檙e great guys. The coaches are great guys and you could tell that they really wanted me there.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e also really professional; the professionalism around their program is huge. Obviously they were the number one football team in Canada before losing to UBC who ended up winning the Vanier Cup. They鈥檙e a great football program and the professionalism was very noticeable there.鈥�
Another reason for Bymak鈥檚 decision was that Calgary, unlike many other CIS football programs, utilise their fullbacks and tight ends often. 鈥淢ost CIS teams don鈥檛 really use a fullback/tight end set; the Dinos are actually one of the only teams that do compared to other teams, so I thought that was pretty cool,鈥� mentioned Bymak, adding that while he was a standout on both sides of the football the Dinos were more interested in his offensive abilities. 鈥淚 told them that I was willing to play wherever I was needed and in whatever position would get me on the field quickest. They said that they liked me at fullback or as a tight end or inside slotback, so that鈥檚 what they were recruiting me for.鈥�
Bymak, who represented Saskatchewan at the 2015 U18 Canada Cup and won the Tenacious Hitter Award in back-to-back seasons for the Raiders, said he is fully aware that he needs to work hard in order to see time on the field during games, but did say that the depth at his position isn鈥檛 as strong as it is elsewhere and that playing on special teams is a place that he hopes he鈥檒l make his mark on initially. 鈥淭hey have two fifth-year guys like me on their roster but one of them has been injured most of the last couple of years so I might get some looks,鈥� suggested the YRHS Raider standout, who plans on studying Kinesiology while at Calgary. 鈥淥bviously it鈥檚 all based on work and they said that if I come in and work hard that I鈥檒l get a chance to contribute on special teams and that kind of thing but we鈥檒l see how it goes.鈥�
Bymak becomes eighth Raider graduate in recent years to join the university football ranks and 11th to move on to a football career past high school over the last four years.
