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Canwest News Service
Chris Getzlaf did not go to one of the big football schools in the United States, where revenues reach into the millions and stadium crowds are large enough to elect their own congressmen. He only played for two years in high school.
He scratched and clawed his way from special teams to offence and, ultimately, to a spot with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, his hometown team. Getzlaf rewarded the franchise and its fans with a touchdown in the West Division final last weekend, a performance that came days after a published report suggested the Canadian Football League is seeking to reduce the mandated number of Canadian starters on a team to four, from seven.
"The sport has been growing consistently in Canada over the years, and it's going to continue to grow," Getzlaf said yesterday. "People are getting better and better coming out of [Canadian Interuniversity Sport]. If anything, I think we should up the number of Canadian starters."
The CFL's collective bargaining agreement with its players is set to expire a day before training camp opens in the spring, and the ratio proposal has reportedly been raised in the preliminary discussions. Teams are required to carry 20 Canadian players on their rosters, with 19 imports — Americans — and three quarterbacks.
Under the current system, having a stable of Canadian talent is a key to success. And few teams have the kind of depth the Roughriders have assembled heading into the Grey Cup this weekend, led by an unusually large contingent of Canadian receivers.
A Canadian scored each of Saskatchewan's three touchdowns in the West Division final against the Calgary Stampeders, a 27-17 win powered by receptions from Getzlaf, Andy Fantuz and Rob Bagg.
"We preach that it doesn't matter who you are or where you came from, when you're put in a position, you're expected to do the job," said Fantuz, who set records as a receiver at the University of Western Ontario. "It comes from the coaches, and it goes throughout all the leaders on the team and down to each and every player."
Saskatchewan scored an average of 28.6 points a game during the regular season, tied with Calgary for second-most in the league.
"I'll tell you what, we treasure our Canadian players," Roughriders coach Ken Miller said. "Our receiving corps right now is primarily Canadian. And, really, as I approach a football season, I approach it as coaching athletes. And when it comes time to fill out a roster … I'm coaching athletes, not nationalities."
Veteran slotback Jason Clermont, a Regina native, said he had not seen any indication the ratio had become an issue in the talks. But even if he had, he suggested he would rather not address it.
"I know we're in talks right now, that there's a CBA coming up," he said. "It's not something that needs to be lobbied through the media by the players or the league. It's something that, when we sit down at the table, we had to discuss for the health of the league."
sfitzgerald@nationalpost.com
