For one afternoon, Varughese Field felt a little closer to Commonwealth Stadium.<\/p>\n
Quarterback Cole Snyder, linebacker Nick Anderson and offensive lineman Carter O\u2019Donnell visited Cold Lake on June 8 as part of the Lakeland\u00a0Co-op-presented Edmonton Elks Hometown Takeover Tour, giving local football players and fans an opportunity to meet CFL athletes without leaving Lakeland.<\/p>\n
The event featured autographs, photos, player meet-and-greets and an on-field session with members of the Cold Lake Minor Football Association.<\/p>\n
Lakeland Co-op helped bring the event to the community through its partnership with the Edmonton Elks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re so glad that they\u2019ve stopped in the Lakeland to help us inspire youth and connect with our community,\u201d said Lakeland Co-op\u2019s Sue Wojcik. \u201cThis is a great event for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wojcik said Lakeland Co-op was proud to help bring the Edmonton Elks\u2019 Hometown Takeover Tour to Cold Lake, giving local youth and football fans an opportunity to connect with professional athletes in their own community.<\/p>\n
Bringing Professional Football to Rural Alberta<\/p>\n
According to Edmonton Elks Community Coordinator of Amateur Football Ryan Brower, the Hometown Takeover Tour is designed to bring professional football directly into communities across northern Alberta.<\/p>\n
\u201cCo-op sponsors this initiative called the Hometown Tour,\u201d Brower said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been up to Grande Prairie, we were in Wainwright last week, Cold Lake today and we\u2019re hitting a few more communities later this summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brower said visits like these are valuable not only for local athletes but for the players themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really eye-opening, especially for our players who are not from here, to go see these rural communities,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then just the calibre of football and the passion for the game that\u2019s everywhere, the coaches that are giving back, it\u2019s all good stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
The stop came just days after the Elks opened their CFL season with a victory over Ottawa, adding even more excitement for fans who came out to meet the players.<\/p>\n
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Opportunity Close to Home<\/p>\n
Cold Lake Minor Football coach Kelly Johnson said bringing professional athletes directly to the Lakeland creates opportunities many local players might not otherwise experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always have to go somewhere,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cBeing from Bonnyville and Cold Lake, we have to travel. It\u2019s nice when somebody comes to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson said local players benefit from seeing first-hand how elite athletes prepare and train.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity for us to learn from some of these guys, too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Feeling at Home in Alberta<\/p>\n
For Snyder, who is entering his second CFL season, the trip north was another chance to connect with football fans across Alberta.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been great, honestly,\u201d Snyder said of his time with the Elks. \u201cJust another chance to continue playing football has been amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The quarterback said Edmonton reminds him of the community atmosphere he grew up around.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very similar type of feel,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I really love it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that exploring Alberta has been one of the highlights of his time in Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot to love about Alberta and the league.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community Partnership<\/p>\n
Lakeland Co-op General Manager JP Boyko said the event reflects Co-op\u2019s commitment to supporting local communities and youth programming.<\/p>\n
\u201cCo-op is there for the community,\u201d Boyko said. \u201cIf we can bring something to the community, we\u2019ll definitely do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the hundreds of local athletes and football fans who had the chance to meet CFL players in their own backyard, the visit was about more than football.<\/p>\n
It was a reminder that even in rural Alberta, big-league opportunities can still find their way to small communities.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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