Vause relives childhood memories on the gridiron
James Vause’s introduction to the gridiron came at a very early age.
“My dad’s been coaching junior football at Aden Bowman since I was born,” Vause said. “Those were my favourite days.
“I’ve been a water boy since I was five. I just remember growing up watching football. Those guys were my heroes.
“I wanted to be just like them one day.”
Vause has realized his youthful dreams. And then some.
He led all Saskatoon 4A high school players with six interceptions as a safety with the Aden Bowman Bears last season.
He has committed to playing junior football for the Saskatoon Hilltops this season.
But not before playing one more high school game. That last one comes Monday in the form of 12-man action at the Ed Henick Senior Bowl. The 30th annual contest will be played at Griffiths Stadium.
All the water bottle fillups, bus trips and hard work have served their purpose as Vause will suit up for the North team.
“I’m sure some of it he picked up by osmosis,” said Vause’s father, Ron, the 20year Aden Bowman junior coach.
“What I try to portray in terms of leadership on the team is being a good guy first and a good football player second,” Ron added. “He does that.”
Vause only played one season for his dad, in Grade 10, before moving on to the Bowman senior team.
In his Grade 9 campaign, the defensive back continued to play Kinsmen Football League so he could win a city title.
He not only won a city title, but a provincial one as well.
“He sort of broke my heart,” Ron said in jest. “He came up to me in Grade 9 and said, ‘Dad, I don’t want to play for you.’
“He was smarter than me, my young guy. He said, ‘I want to win a city championship.’”
Ron said his son’s athleticism has been a huge factor in his success. Vause participated in soccer, hockey, wrestling, track and basketball before focusing on football.
But Ron added that the 18-year-old’s anticipation and cerebral nature have also helped.
Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant agrees.
“Ball in flight, he has a real presence to go find the ball,” Sargeant said of Vause. “You just know each day he’s going to get better.”
Exhibit A of Vause’s intangibles came in a recent senior bowl practice.
“From the safety position, he tracked himself 15 or 20 yards in quite a hurry and made a great interception,” Sargeant said. “It certainly stood out to me that he has a pretty good understanding of anticipating and working through the quarterback to see where the ball’s going to go. Those traits are sometimes easier said than done.”
Sargeant anticipates Vause getting playing time on special teams this season. He also has the ability to kick field goals.
Because Taylor Rehn, Chris Friesen and Colin Keys have all graduated and Reed Hnidy and Joel Haight aren’t returning, there are some openings in the secondary for Vause as well.
“I see him coming into main camp and pushing our veterans for playing time,” Sargeant said. “He’s off to a good start. Sometimes players plateau, but I don’t see that on James’s horizon.”
Both the player and coach said Vause needs to get bigger, faster and stronger over the off-season.
Vause, currently 6-1 and 160 pounds, is determined to put in the work this summer. However, given that he’s been around football his whole life, he knows what to expect.
“It helped being around football when I was young and seeing what it was like,” he said. “I’m here now. High school football is a good time.”