Former NFLer and current Saskatchewan Roughriders punter Jon Ryan and his family unveiled a record-setting scholarship for the University of Regina Rams on Saturday.
Jon and his brother Steve are both Rams alumni and announced the $200,000 legacy fund for the program in the name of their father, Bob.
It’s the biggest scholarship donation in program history.
“It’s a really big deal for my family. Obviously, my father made a huge impact on this community. He loved the Regina Rams as my brother and I both played,” Jon told reporters.
The Bob Ryan Scholarship will begin this season with five $2,000 scholarships given out to Rams student athletes.
As a former student athlete himself, Jon remembers what it was like to be tight on cash.
“Being a student athlete, we didn’t have time to work. You’d have to be able to go to school, to work and to football, there just wasn’t enough time,” he explained.
“Just to be able to give a little bit of help to some of these players is going to go a long way.”
Jon said it’s important for his family and himself to give back to the community by making this donation that has been years in the making.
“I’ve taken so much from this community, I’ve taken so much from this university and this team that there’s no way I can ever repay my debt and by doing things like the scholarship fund is just one of the ways that myself and my family try to make up for some of those things we’ve taken from this great place.”
— with files from Ian Duffy
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