WINNIPEG – It pains Blair Mattes to be stuck on the sidelines.
“I was coming into this year hoping to be the starter,” said the Winnipeg Rifles running back. “Try and work off of last year.”
A campaign in which Mattes was named a Prairie Football Conference rookie all-star.
“As the year went on, I progressed more,” said Mattes. “I learned the game, the speed and tempo of the junior league.”
But any hopes Mattes had of improving on a standout season were cut short.
“My neck was pretty big on (my right) side,” said Mattes. “I didn’t know if it was from football. If a hit to the head messed up my neck.”
That swelling turned out to be something much bigger than an injury. Mattes was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in August. The cancer forced him to hang up his cleats after just three games.
“It’s tough,” said Rifles head coach Ryan Karhut. “Cancer is something a lot of people, a lot of families have to deal with. But to see a 19-year-old not get the opportunity to do something he loves, it just doesn’t seem fair to me.”
Mattes has already been through two our of four chemotherapy treatments. His last scheduled appointment is on October 22. What’s helping him to cope with the cancer is his positive attitude.
“It could go for the worse, it could for the better,” said Mattes. “So you have to stay positive through the whole thing regardless because you just don’t know.”
One thing Mattes does know is he’ll be back next season – bigger, stronger and faster.
The Rifles will be holding a bud, spud and steak fundraiser in support of Mattes and CancerCare Manitoba Saturday night at Cowboys located in Canad Inns Windsor Park. Tickets are $20 and available by calling Janice Beveridge at 204-880-8561.
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