“How did you spend the off-season?” is a question many CFL players have been answering this week as training camps began across the country. Edmonton Eskimos linebacker Kenny Ladler has one of the more interesting off-season stories, but for now – can’t really talk about it too much.
The 24-year-old Stone Mountain, Georgia native spent most of his off-season working out in Florida where he now lives, but he did some travelling. He took a cruise, a trip to California and even a trip back to Canada with his girlfriend Mercedes Dericho. That wasn’t a trip to sightsee, it was a business trip.
Ladler’s girlfriend operates Risque Dukes Swim Apparel and the two headed to Ottawa to audition for the CBC show Dragon’s Den, a reality show that lets entrepreneurs pitch their products to “the dragons” looking for investments and financial backing.
“My girlfriend is an entrepreneur in Miami and pitched an idea to them, she has a bikini company that sells online.”
They passed the first test and then were allowed to move on to the filming of an episode.
“We faced the dragons together.”
It was a new experience for Ladler, who played college ball at Vanderbilt and started 17 games for the Eskimos in his rookie season in 2016, collecting 70 tackles and two interceptions along the way.
Standing in front of the dragons reminded him of game day.
“It was nerve-racking. It almost felt like a game,” he said. “Once we got in there the bright lights came on, I felt like I was in a game. My girl was very composed, she handled herself very well, but those dragons, they are fierce man.”
How did the pitch go?
“Can’t say,” as the linebacker is sworn to secrecy until the episode airs.
“Can’t talk about exactly what happened on the show, but I am looking forward to seeing it.”
The show is expected to air in the fall. Until then, Ladler is more concerned with Stampeders , Blue Bombers, Lions and Roughriders than he is with Dragons.