When examining the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster, the only thing that may be more diverse than the post-secondary institutions players have attended is their fields of study.
When examining the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster, the only thing more diverse than the schools that players attended may be their fields of study.
From civil engineering to education, kinesiology to social work, players across the CFL come from all kinds of academic backgrounds. But balancing life as a student-athlete is never easy. Just ask Plaza of Honour defensive lineman Scott Schultz.
Schultz said he originally entered university with plans to become a chemical engineer before quickly realizing the workload would be difficult to balance with football.
“I had big dreams of becoming a chemical engineer,” Schultz said. “I got into school, and in the first semester, I realized that it was not for me. All of the studying and the hours and all that kind of stuff.”
Schultz recalled long bus rides where players were cramming to keep up academically while also trying to compete on the field.
“Seeing guys having to study on the bus like mad on a 12-hour bus trip. That’s when I switched out.”
After leaving engineering, Schultz moved into education with plans to become a physical education teacher while pursuing a minor in special education. However, after some field work, he realized that path also wasn’t the right fit. Eventually, Schultz settled on communications, earning a Bachelor of Arts in corporate communication and public relations.
“I thought, throw a dart,” Schultz joked. “What would be something I could manage and get out of here alive?”
While Schultz admits he hasn’t used the degree extensively in his professional life, he says it certainly helped him become comfortable speaking publicly and dealing with the media.
“I’ve used it a little bit, just the folksiness and talking in the media,” Schultz said.
Schultz also laughed while recalling an entrepreneurial idea he once explored alongside friend Joe Gunnis and former Roughriders board chair Graham Barker.
“We thought he would take us to the promised land,” Schultz said. “It never panned out.”
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