Rams Receiving Corps Competition Shaping Up to be Intense  

By Greg Urbanoski  

Call this the end of one era and the beginning of another in the Rams Aerial Attack.  

News out of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cat’s camp that University of Regina Ram receivers Chris Bauman and Chris Getzlaf have caught on with the team means competition for receiving spots at the Rams fall training camp.  

Bauman, who was picked first overall by the Tiger-Cats in the 2007 CFL draft was expected to make the team, but the eventual fate of Getzlaf wasn’t known until after the Tiger-Cats final round of cuts were announced and Getzlaf survived to make the team.  

This means the competition for their starting spots will be intense as the talented Rams receiving corps will get a good workout at the fall training camp expected to start with on-field practices on August 18.  

“This is an opportunity for the next group of guys to step up,” said Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal.  

“This is an opportunity for guys like Jordan Sisco to step up and we’ve got guys like Chad Goldie coming back. Chad is an engineering student taking summer classes and when the CFL called he chose completing those classes over the CFL. We’ve also got people like Jared Ralko and John Konaroski and let’s not forget someone like Kolton Solomon who is going to be a very good receiver.”  

McCrystal said whether the Rams lose players to their completion of degrees or finding work in the CFL, it is a credit to the quality of the Rams program that provides the Rams student-athletes to succeed both academically and on the field.  

“We’re very proud of how the guys did in the CFL camps and guys like Mike Sache who have signed a contract to teach at Fort Qu’Appelle. We knew Mike was a very good student and for him to get a full-time job like this is a great credit to him and the program.”  

The Rams are currently at 71 players and McCrystal would like to see how the roster shakes out to get his numbers down to 65 prior to the team hitting the practice field on August 18. In the meantime, the Rams coaches are getting ready for another major milestone for young Saskatchewan football players – the Rams High School Football Camp.  

The camp, which gets underway this weekend, will feature at current count, approximately 95 of the best high school players in Saskatchewan getting a chance to hone their skills under the watchful eyes of McCrystal and other Rams coaches and players.  

The Rams will continue testing their own players this summer and are also gearing up for the Rams Minor Football Camp at the end of July which has already attracted 154 young players eager to get better.  

“Our hope with these two camps is to give these players the fundamentals and get them to a place where they can have a scrimmage,” said McCrystal. “We are keeping our numbers at a workable level so these guys can get meaningful reps.”  

And perhaps in the process uncover a future Chris Bauman or Chris Getzlaf.

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