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John Woods \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
Trey Vaval (centre) celebrates with television hosts Henoc Muamba (left) and Davis Sanchez on Thursday after being named the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.<\/p>\n
\u201cNah, not at all,\u201d Vaval said when asked if he envisioned such a successful first season in the CFL. \u201cLast year, I wasn\u2019t even on a team. I was just at home with my family, working out and just waiting for an opportunity. Then getting to camp, I was just trying to make the team. I just wanted to make the team and be a part of the team and just play football. I wanted to do what I love. This wasn\u2019t even something I was looking forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n
The moment Vaval got his chance, he didn\u2019t simply survive \u2013 he proved to be a historic scoring threat, pacing the CFL with four return touchdowns, scoring twice on missed field goals, once off a punt and once off a kickoff. He also led the CFL in punt return yardage and finished fifth in kickoff return yardage.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old returner amassed 391 yards on missed field goal returns alone, setting a new Blue Bombers record. His brilliance in this area of the game was cemented during a Week 16 win over the Ottawa Redblacks, when Vaval set a new team mark with a 128-yard missed field goal return for a touchdown.<\/p>\n
That lengthy score helped Vaval shatter the CFL single-game record with 199 yards on missed field goals. Not done there, he also became the first Bomber to return a kickoff and punt for a touchdown in the same game.<\/p>\n
There were times during the season, particularly following a strong performance, that Vaval would diminish his impact, turning the post-game interview into something akin to a therapy session. While his confidence seemed to waver, his play never faltered, leading to Vaval being asked at what point in the season he finally felt like he belonged.<\/p>\n
\u201cNever, to be honest,\u201d Vaval said bluntly. \u201cWe\u2019re football players, and this is a business. They can get you, no matter how good you are. Tom Brady was with the Patriots and then he went to the Bucs. No matter who you\u2019re with you can be gone at any moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t John Woods \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Jermarcus Hardrick of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was nemed the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe city, I felt like I belong in the city. They show me nothing but love. A part of the team? That\u2019s not up to me. That\u2019s up to the coaches and everybody around me. I feel like they think I belong. We just all love each other, and we work our ass off for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Vaval expressed a strong appreciation for his Bomber teammates and for the opportunity to grow with them each week. He was an undrafted free agent coming out of college, and after a brief stint with the NFL\u2019s Atlanta Falcons, was left without a football home.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Bombers had been looking for an answer for their return game after opting not to extend Janarion Grant ahead of the 2024 season. Grant signed with the Toronto Argonauts and put together another strong year, scoring four return touchdowns, while Winnipeg held a seemingly open tryout for the position all season.<\/p>\n Vaval wasn\u2019t the Bombers first choice to return in 2025, but an injury to free-agent signing Peyton Logan ahead of training camp opened the door to make a strong impression and carve out a role with the Blue and Gold. The rest is history as Vaval never looked back, instilling fear in opposing cover teams with his blistering speed and willingness to put his body on the line.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t \u201cThe team\u2019s family environment. Just the coaches, the players, all of us, we just love each other and we have fun every day,\u201d Vaval said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t feel like we were going to work; this s\u2014- was fun as hell. I get to kick it with some of my best friends; the coaches, I\u2019m super cool with. Coach (Mike O\u2019Shea) and (defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger), we super cool. That environment, you get around a bunch of dudes like that and coaches, it\u2019s just easy to play for each other. You\u2019re willing to sacrifice your body and everything for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Adding to the moment was the fact Vaval got to share the evening with his mother Lori Grove and sister Tie\u2019re Spearman. Vaval\u2019s upbringing was a struggle, especially after his mother\u2019s health started to rapidly decline, leaving them without a stable place to live. At one point, the three of them had to share a single mattress to sleep on.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t John Woods \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Nathan Rourke (left) is congratulated by Milt Stegall after being named the CFL\u2019s Most Oustanding Player.<\/p>\n That adversity early in his life helped form the foundation of the man he is today \u2014 empathetic and determined. Those traits have only been strengthened in Winnipeg, where he hopes he can continue his football career and the pursuit of getting better as an athlete and person each day.<\/p>\n \u201cJust going through that stuff, I don\u2019t really like feeling sorry for myself because people go through stuff every day,\u201d he said. \u201cMy problems might be micro to someone around me, so I don\u2019t really take it as that. Just charge it to the game, just work my ass off and try to be a good human, a good brother, a good son, a good teammate \u2014 all that. So, yeah, just work my ass off and be the best I can.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Jeff Hamilton Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University\u2019s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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