Burr enjoys life with Colts
Colton Burr isn’t wired for university — school or football — though he did think about it some after graduating high school.
“I’m not much of a CIS ( Canadian Interuniversity Sports) guy. So I came to play junior football,” says the 19- year- old.
Instead of pursuing a spot with the University of Calgary Dinos or elsewhere ( the University of Saskatchewan also called) after finishing up at Notre Dame high school two years ago, Burr instead has opted to pursue a career as an electrician. He’s in his first year at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and is apprenticing at Western Electrical.
The Notre Dame grad also took a call from new Calgary Colts head coach Matthew ( Snoop) Blokker in the summer of 2014 and was convinced to keep playing as a junior.
It’s worked out well for both sides, as Burr became a starter at right off the hop and became a Prairie Football Conference all- rookie team member as a linebacker.
Burr finished second on the Colts only to Canadian Junior Football League all- Canadian Jacob Jakoubek in defensive team points recorded.
“( My first season) was good. I liked the way ( Blokker) said the way the season was going to go and the feel that he brought to the team,” Burr said.
“I was fortunate to get the opportunity to play and just made plays when I could and I thank the coaches for giving me the opportunity.”
The pleasure has been all Blokker’s. He calls Burr the most unselfish player on his team and thinks so highly of Burr that he named him a captain in only his second season.
“He’s a leader on this team and one of our hardest working guys,” Blokker said.
“He plays the game right. He’s intelligent. He’s disciplined. He leads by example.”
If that maturity didn’t come from home and genetics it then came from Notre Dame, which is a national high school football powerhouse and a place where discipline and a team- first approach is considered requirements for head coach Dave Diluzio’s program.
“They do a great job coaching ( at Notre Dame). They deserve credit. The coaches dedicate all their free time and life to helping that program,” Burr said.
Burr said he found junior football to be a big step up from high school, despite what football snobs may say.
“Everyone thinks that junior football is down there ( he motions with his left hand) and the competition isn’t that great, but junior football is huge.
“The speed from high school to junior picks up a tonne. You have to learn on your feet and keep rolling,” he said.
Winning has followed Burr from Notre Dame to the Colts, where a winless 0- 8 season preceded Blokker’s arrival. After a slow start, the Colts reached the 2014 PFC final, where they lost to the Saskatoon Hilltops.
They locked up another playoff spot in 2015 with a 37- 17 victory over the Edmonton Huskies at McMahon Stadium on Saturday night.
That win lifted the Colts to a 4- 2 record with two regular season games remaining.
The first of those is huge as the likewise 4- 2 Regina Thunder visit McMahon Stadium on Sunday ( 1 p. m.) with home- field advantage for the PFC semifinal at stake.
The Colts close out the regular season on Oct. 11 by visiting the Hilltops, who are 6- 0 heading into their road game on Sunday with the Edmonton Wildcats.
“We have two big games coming up and two very good opponents,” Burr said.
“We have to tighten up in practice and we have to play our game and do it.”