CFL players visit military personnel overseas

Matt Black has been recognized before for possessing the qualities of a Canadian veteran, but the CFL player says he’s humbled by the real-life sacrifices many in the military make.

The Toronto Argonauts defensive back is among a group of league players and personnel visiting Canadian troops in Lviv, Ukraine, and Marseille, France.

The main objective of the trip is to boost morale, but Black said it’s armed forces officials who are providing inspiration.

“My wife giving birth to our daughter, winning a Grey Cup in 2012 and this trip are three of the most influential things in my life,” Black said. “Words can’t describe the sacrifices the brave men and women of our military make ... this is something I’ll never forget.”

The visit is especially significant to Black. He received the 2016 Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Award, given annually to the CFL player best demonstrating the qualities of Canada’s veterans.

“When you meet the men and women who willingly step into harm’s way for the betterment of me and my family, who they’ve never met, and our country as a whole, personally I just feel like everything I’ve done is so insignificant in comparison,” Black said.

“They have families and yet they’re stationed halfway across the world and it just puts everything into perspective and gives you a real understanding of what their reality is.”

It’s a point not lost on Lions longsnapper Mike Benson.

“I’m from Winnipeg and play in Vancouver and it’s hard to be away from family for six months but at least I get to see them,” he said.

“But many military people also have significant others in (armed forces) and they told us stories where they’re walking through the airport and high-five their wife or husband and keep walking the other way and don’t see each other for another six months except for two weeks off. I don’t know how they do it because, honestly, I couldn’t.”

Country artist Dallas Smith and comedian John Sheehan accompanied the players on this trip, which began Friday and concludes Wednesday.

Canadians in Lviv are teaching Ukrainian troops the basics of soldiering, and also providing more advanced skills like bomb disposal and medical training to recruits slated to serve in the country’s armed conflict with Russianbacked separatists.

“I’ll admit I was pretty ignorant about what’s going on in Ukraine,” Benson said. “There’s an actual war going on and it’s serious and I had no idea to how detailed it is.”