Jake Harty refuses to say no when it comes to his love of football and playing the game.
Harty has had one misfortune after another since signing as a free agent with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in February of 2018.
On the first day of training camp in 2018, Harty suffered a torn ACL with the same injury happening to the same knee seven months later. It cost him his 2018 and 19 season and with no 2020 season because of the pandemic, Harty hit the Mosaic Stadium turf for the start of training camp having not put on pads in four years.
As he attempts to make the opening-night roster, the 30-year-old says it is great just being back on the field.
“It’s an unreal feeling and I am super excited to be out there with the pads on.” Harty said. “It has been a long journey. I know I can still compete and play the game and I want to prove to people I can come back from the injuries. That’s what I am hoping to do at camp.”
Harty says if a 2020 had been played, he would have been ready to go and that retirement was not an option for him despite all the setbacks he has had.
“I have trained hard in Calgary for years and I’ve rehabbed pretty hard. ” Harty said. “I knew if I got the opportunity I would come back and here we are.”
Whether or not Harty makes the team is still to early to tell, but if head coach Craig Dickenson has any say he will be.
“It’s great to see Jake. He’s one of my favourites.” Dickenson said. “He’s a good receiver and a good special teams player. He is the type of guy you want on your team because you win with guys like Jake Harty on it.
Harty is in tough at Canadian receiver as he competes with the likes of 2nd round draft pick Terrell Jana, 2019 first round draft pick Justin McInnis and former Regina Ram Mitch Picton, but special teams may be what gets him on that opening week roster which is all he wants.
Day 4 Notes
Linebacker Deon Lacey was not at practice on Tuesday. He had made his camp debut on Monday. The Riders say Lacey is in COVID protocol. Citing privacy, the team won’t say if why Lacey is in the protocol. Third-year Rider Micah Teitz trained with the starters at the weakside linebacker spot.
Head Coach Craig Dickenson praised linebacker Jordan and Justin Herdman-Reed for their performances on Day 4.
Tuesday was the first day the players put on pads in training camp–a favourite day of CKRM Riders Analyst Luc Mullinder.
