Football has evolved into a global sport with Saskatchewan Roughriders punter Kaare Vedvik being a prime example.
The Norwegian first arrived in North America in 2011 with limited experience in the sport, but has since turned his kicking skills into a full-time profession.
Earlier this week, the Roughriders punter joined Don Hewitt and Sean Kleisinger on the SportsCage and looked back on his path in the gridiron sport.
Vedvik began his football career by taking part in exchange program in high school and spent a season playing at McPherson, Kansas. He would later join the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team in Huntington, West Virginia in 2013.
Back in 1970, the Marshall football team suffered a great tragedy with the team’s plane crashing, killing 75 people including players, staff members and boosters from the team. The incident was profiled in the 2006 film We Are Marshall.
Vedvik said Marshall was his top choice to play college football, with the film factoring into his decision.
“I remember watching that movie and I had a few other schools at the moment I had the option of choosing between but after watching that movie and kind of reading about that history there was not a single thought in my mind you know I’m going anywhere else.”
The 29-year-old noted there are a lot of similarities between the Thundering Herd fans in Huntington and Roughriders fans in Saskatchewan, especially the passion.
“The people of Huntington, they bleed green. ”
Vedvik added there’s a lot of pride in the Thundering Herd program.
“Every0ne has history to the team, everyone has history in the program, cause they grew up there, they have family involved somehow and some way. So when you’re a member of the Thundering Herd and you’re part of that program, there’s a lot of emotions from that. ”
After spending five seasons with Marshall, Vedvik considers Huntington to be a home away from home and wishes he could visit there more frequently.
The Roughriders punter comes from a multi-culture background. His father is from Nigeria with his mother from Norway, and Vedvik added that his step-mother is from Germany. Vedvik appreciates his heritage background.
“It kind of gives you a different outlook on the world around you.”
Like the majority of kickers, the Norwegian became a well-travelled player during his stint in the National Football League. He was signed as undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. After an impressive showing in the 2019 training camp as a kicker, the Ravens traded Vedvik to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2020 fifth-round pick since Baltimore already had the best kicker in football in Justin Tucker. Vedvik was unable to win the Vikings kicking job and was released. Following stops with the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Washington and Jacksonville Jaguars, he headed north to join the Roughriders in October of 2021.
Since becoming a member of the green-and-white, Vedvik says he has formed a strong working relationship with Brett Lauther and thinks the Riders kicker ranks among the game’s elite.
“He’s one of the most determined and team-oriented individuals I’ve met so far in my career.”
The two spent extensive time together this off-season including running some kicking camps in Moose Jaw.
While most Roughrider players have trouble transitioning to Saskatchewan winters but Vedvik’s upbringing in Norway had him prepared for the cold season.
“We have a saying back home, there’s no such thing as bad weather, there’s only bad clothes.”
