Watch the video above: Saskatchewan Roughriders take victory tour up north
LA RONGE, Sask. – Two Saskatchewan Roughriders are back home after taking the Grey Cup up north to continue its victory tour.
The Cameco-sponsored trip saw running back Neal Hughes and lineman Brendon LaBatte touch-down in five northern communities, covering over 2,000 kilometres, in less than two days.
“To see the smiles, to see the kids just so excited to see the Grey Cup and to meet the players, it was just magical,” said Jonathan Huntington, Cameco’s community investment manager.
The itinerary’s first stop was in Cumberland House, where the players took pictures and signed autographs for kids at its school. At one point, LaBatte placed an infant in the bowl of the trophy.
“It helps you relive that whole grey cup party after the game and all the celebrations over and over again,” said Hughes, who was also a member of the 2007 championship team.
“You see the smiles on everyone’s faces, it just lights you up.”
At the crew’s next stop in a La Ronge gymnasium, Hughes and LaBatte posed for more pictures, while a group of kids tossed around a foam football.
In Stony Rapids the next morning, the two Saskatchewan-born players braved the cold and took the cup down to the rapids before going to the local school for more autographs and speeches.
“We never, ever see the grey cup, we only see the grey cup on TV and when they bring it this far up north, it’s awesome,” said Daniel Powder, the mayor of Stony Rapids.
In Pinehouse, the Riders received the loudest ovation of the trip as they walked into the gym of a high school.
“This is unbelievable, it’s awesome,” exclaimed Hughes after being mobbed by students looking for hugs and high-fives.
The trip was rounded out Tuesday in Buffalo Narrows, where a packed gym participated in a “go riders, go” chant, before Hughes walked over to the high school football team, gesturing that most of the players were taller than he was.
“The more role models we bring for northern students to tell them, you know what, you are good enough, dream big, let us be watching you up here in 10 years,” said Jackie Durocher, principal of Twin Lakes Community School in Buffalo Narrows.
“I don’t think you know just how much it means to the fans, I think that was the one thing that really got relayed to me over the last thirty-two hours,” said LaBatte.
Comments