Just 18 days after signing in Saskatchewan, Kaare Vedvik is getting a chance to step onto the field.
With Roughriders starting punter Jon Ryan out two to three weeks with an ankle injury, the green and white are calling upon their 2021 Global Draft pick to handle the punting duties for the next few weeks.
“It’s kind of surreal,” said Vedvik, whose first name is pronounced Korey in North America. “I wasn’t really expecting it. Jon Ryan is a phenomenal punter, phenomenal guy, phenomenal teammate. Unfortunately, what happened last game, now I’m in a position to go in there and step in.
“I’m going to do my best and I’m going to line up and help the team.”
Growing up in Norway, Vedvik first played football in high school with a club team called AFC Show prior to coming over to the United States as a foreign exchange student in Kansas. Initially a receiver, Vedvik converted to kicker due to his strong leg from playing soccer. And that change paid off, as he went on to play college football at Marshall University before spending time on several NFL teams over the past few seasons.
“It’s been eight teams now and this will be the fourth year after college,” said Vedvik. “It’s been a journey. You’ve got to figure out what it is you want to do and then you’ve just got to make a decision. And my decision is this is something I like to do.
“I choose to look on the brighter side of being on eight teams rather than the opposite,” he continued. “See what type of experience I get to take from those places, how that can form me into a better athlete, what I can take from each team and move on.”
Vedvik’s path took a turn back in 2018 following his first NFL training camp as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. After a night out with friends, it was reported that Vedvik was assaulted and robbed of his wallet and phone. He suffered a head contusion and significant facial injuries, which led to him being placed on the Ravens’ non-football injury list for the entire season.
“That was tough,” said Vedvik. “You’re a foreigner in a different country. Things are different. Society is different. In Norway, we like to say we are the most peaceful country in the world, the best country in the world, and that’s how it is in Norway and we truly believe that.
“So I think some realities back then hit me.”
Vedvik says his outlook, along with the support of his friends and family, allowed him to turn the page on the incident and be a better person from it — not before acknowledging the seriousness of it all.
“That was a tough incident to get through but thanks to my family and friends and everybody around me, I’ve been able to get through it and I am here,” he said.
“My attitude my entire life has always been no matter what happens, keep a positive outlook.”
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