SportsLife 2015, issue 3 | Page 27

“It’s really cool to have my dad as my coach. We have a great relationship. I understand it can be difficult for some people, but I love having my dad as my coach. Frankly, he’s the most qualified.” So with his dad as head coach, Kaneski started his football career as a quarterback. However, when you’re as big and strong as Matt, you will find your way to the offensive line and he was quickly moved to a more, Matt Kaneski (left) of the St. Paul’s Crusaders shall we say, appropriate position. “I started out on the line as a guard in Atom and then I moved to tackle,” he said. “Then, I started moving back inside, first to guard and now, in high school, I’m mostly a centre, but this year, I played everywhere along the line. I’m like most players. I just want to play. I have the height to be a centre. You need to be a little top be a tackle or guard, but I’ll play those positions if the coaches need me to play there. “I’ll go wherever the coaches tell me to go just so I can be out on the field. People who know me know that I just love to play.” Last year, Kaneski’s Crusaders lost the Triple A Potter Division’s championship game 17-16 to Oak Park. For a guy like Kaneski who has won two championships as a Peewee and one as a Double A player in Grade 9 and one more as a Triple A player in Grade 10, losing wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. However, he won’t call this year’s Matt Kaneski (50) plans “unfinished business.” It’s simply a new season and the Crusaders, a team that was 9-1 last season, should be a favourite to win it all next fall. “Everyone’s really excited about this year,” he said. “We have a lot of returning players – three O-linemen, two starting slotbacks and entire backfield. We’ll have two great quarterbacks in Riley Naujoks and Tommy Semchyshyn. “And make no mistake, the game last fall will be on my mind all season. It will definitely motivate me.” l Game On Photographer James Carey Lauder has 35 years of photography experience. He’s a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and Manitoba and is accredited in Sports Photography. He is currently in his 10th year as Photography Instructor at Tec Voc High School. sportslife / 27