Between The Lines: From disaster to big play: Peter Boersch recalls his first CFL experience

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are set to return from their bye week as they’ll take on the BC Lions in Vancouver on Friday night.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are getting ready to return from their bye week. The Green and White will be back on the field Friday night in Vancouver, taking on the B.C. Lions. And when the Riders return to practice, Regina Thunder running back Peter Boersch will be there.

Boersch has been balancing life in the Prairie Football Conference with practices alongside the Roughriders. But earlier this season, he got the chance to do something that most Canadian football players dream about. He stepped onto the field in a CFL game.

And while his first taste of professional football didn’t go exactly as planned, it’s an experience he’ll never forget. Boersch joined the SportsCage to share the story of his Roughriders preseason appearance.

The first play? Let’s say it wasn’t the highlight he had envisioned.

“The first play that I was out there, I tried to chip someone, I missed, I tripped, and I fell,” Boersch said. “It’s a disaster.”

Not exactly the start you draw up when you’re getting your first opportunity at the CFL level. But Boersch didn’t let that moment define his night. The Riders were in a two-minute drill, running out of time, and the young running back had a job to do. He needed to make sure the backfield was clean before releasing into his route.

Then came his first CFL catch. And with it, a lesson from running backs coach Andrew Harris. Boersch could feel a defender coming down on top of him after making the catch.

That’s when he remembered something Harris had talked about. It wasn’t always about fighting through every tackle. Sometimes, it was about letting the play take you where it wanted to go, then getting your feet moving again.

“And then the first catch that I had, I caught it, and I could feel that there was a defender coming down on top of me,” Boersch said. “And, you know, one of the things that Harris had talked about was like not necessarily fighting every tackle, but letting, you know, going with the flow, letting it take you where it wants you to go and then starting your feet back up.”

Boersch knew the defender was coming. His priority was securing the football.

“So I was like, OK, I know he’s there. I have to secure the catch. So I’m just going to go loose,” he said.

After that, it was about getting out of bounds and managing the clock. A simple play, perhaps, but one that gave Boersch a chance to put Harris’ advice into practice.

The first catch was about survival. The second one? That was about making a play.

Boersch admitted he didn’t expect the ball to be thrown his way.

“And then the second one, I didn’t think he was going to throw, but he did,” Boersch said.

And when the ball arrived, Boersch found himself with plenty of room.

“After that, I just had a lot of space and wanted to get vertical.”

That’s the kind of moment a young player remembers. The nerves. The first play disaster. The first catch. Advice from a future Hall of Fame coach. And then, suddenly, the field opens up in front of you.

Boersch continues to develop his game with the Regina Thunder while working with the Roughriders. For a player balancing the Prairie Football Conference and the CFL, those opportunities are valuable. His preseason appearance also gave him a chance to experience the speed, pressure, and excitement of professional football.

It may have started with a missed chip and a trip to the turf. But it ended with two catches, a lesson from Andrew Harris and a memory that will stay with him for a long time. Not bad for a first taste of the CFL.

And that’s Between The Lines for Sheppard Realty in Regina, specializing in farm and ranch real estate in Saskatchewan. Call Harry, Justin or Devan at 352-1866.