Proud Canadian Bladek finds footing with Riders

Dariusz Bladek’s path to becoming a starter on the offensive line with the Saskatchewan Roughriders includes a lengthy paper trail.

While exploring his pro options two years ago, Bladek learned his best opportunity might come as a ratio-friendly player in the CFL. The Florida native began the application process for dual citizenship, but didn’t get the paperwork done in time for the 2016 CFL draft.

Bladek was eventually declared eligible in 2017, and the Riders wasted no time selecting him in the second round of that year’s draft (11th overall).

“I always took pride in my Canadian heritage,” said Bladek, whose mother was born in Montreal but moved to New Jersey after she was adopted. “It’s something I’ve always known about, but I never knew how big a deal having dual citizenship was. They told me as a Canadian you have a bigger chance to be in this league for a long time.”

Upon joining the Riders, Bladek learned about the nuances of the CFL’S national-international ratio.

Now he understands why all that paperwork was so important.

“You see that the ratio matters and why,” he continued.

While his football career was on hold, Bladek passed the time working in the construction business alongside his father, a Polish immigrant who renovates restaurants for a living. The job was physically demanding, and required that he work a lot of nights.

“I always had respect for my father, but I gained a lot more having to work those nights with him,” he said. “Plus, I learned a lot more about construction, which is always good to have in your back pocket. Football doesn’t last forever.”

Bladek also found the two occupations had something in common.

“The demolition was always my favourite part. When you’re filling a 50-yard dumpster in two days or so and there’s only three guys, that’s where they loved me,” said the 6-foot-4, 300-pound guard with a laugh.

“All the fine detail, I could do it but my father always handled that. He’s the head coach. He never overlooks the small little things. That’s the way I am with football.”

After serving as the Riders’ sixth offensive lineman in 2017, he received a promotion on June 30 and is slated to make his fifth consecutive start Thursday versus the host Edmonton Eskimos.

“It took a little bit of patience, but I always kept my head high and I never got down on myself,” said Bladek, 24. “I always felt like the coaching staff knew what they were doing. I trusted that and I trusted that they believed (in him) when I was ready.”

Like many of his teammates, Bladek is coming off a tough game Saturday in Saskatchewan’s 34-22 loss to the Calgary Stampeders. However, head coach and GM Chris Jones has seen Bladek play “as good as anybody in spurts” and is confident in his ability to bounce back.

“He’s a young player,” Jones said. “Even the most highly-thoughtof young guy, they don’t play perfect. They make a lot of errors. He’s a second-year guy, but he cares about football and he cares about this football team.”