Austin Roy left a pile of battered bodies on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School football field last fall in a game against St. Charles College, wrote The Sudbury Star Aug. 1. Roy, a beast of a man at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds and working his trade as an offensive lineman, smashed his opponents like a wrecking ball bringing down a building.
In attendance was the York University football team’s coaching staff and they couldn’t take their eyes off Roy and his rough-and-tough style of play. They were left with a lasting impression of a man they knew they needed to make their program a winner.
“We went to the game and saw this monster guard knocking people around like bowling pins,” said York head coach Mike McLean. “We were in Sudbury looking for a player to build a program around. We knew right away, Austin was exactly what we were looking for.”
All year long, Roy was courted by university programs across Canada and even one school from the United States. He picked York, much to the chagrin of many teams, because of the school’s combination of academics, relative close proximity to Greater Sudbury and home, and the coaching staff.
Roy really liked the fact the coaches had won Vanier Cups and McLean earned a Grey Cup while playing in the Canadian Football League.
Roy is planning on bringing the pain he dished out in Sudbury with St. Benedict and across the province in club football with the Sudbury Gladiators to York. Nothing less and definitely a lot more.
“Sudbury is recognized as hard-hitting, smash-mouth football,” Roy said. “I want to bring that style of play to York. I want to represent our city and show everyone we are tough and love to hit. I really like the calibre of coaches at York. I believe in them.”
Now that Roy has made it to the university level and hopes to help York become a force in the country, he isn’t going to relax. It’s not in his nature.
“I’ve learned not to be content with what I’ve done,” he said. “I will always want to do it better. I want to push myself...go that extra mile. It’s a rebuilding year for York. I’m expecting we’ll get our asses kicked but that is OK by me. The second year, be a playoff team and in the third year go for the Vanier Cup. I will bring leadership and work ethic to York. I’m ready for the next level.”
Recession Q-&-A with a York student
Jennifer C. works fulltime and attends York University taking psychology to get into research, wrote Digital Journal Aug. 9 in a story about the impact of the recession on students. Currently, the young woman is paying thousands of dollars for a program that would hopefully provide her a career.
Q:) Before the recession began, were you hopeful about your career path?
A:) Definitely! I knew a lot of people who entered psychology and began internships, teaching assistant jobs and fields in research. Some would begin at a desk job but then move up into more serious positions. I just don’t know anymore.
Q:) Why do you not take student loans?
A:) Well first of all, I once took student loans when I was working on my first career. Right now, I am in a career transitioning mode. But, anyway, I had student loans once for a large sum and it took me a long time to pay them off. Secondly, student loans are the cause of higher tuition rates. I won’t go into the details because it’s unrelated to this interview. Thirdly, why should you pay for my tuition? Why should the editors at your publication pay for my tuition? Why should anyone else, besides myself, pay for my tuition?
Q:) Are you receiving a lot of work at your full-time job to pay for your studies?
A:) At the present time, no. Before the recession officially began, we had a lot of work but the quantity is decreasing and I’m getting part-time shifts, which is difficult because the next school year is coming, very soon.
Q) Do you feel that many students can’t find work?
A) The only jobs that my friends can get, right now, are call centre jobs, whether it be survey, telemarketing or customer service but even that is limited nowadays.
On air
- Theodore Peridis, professor in the Schulich School of Business at York University, spoke about the sale of Nortel on CTV’s “Canada AM” Aug. 7.