Riders rent reduction a 'contractual matter', no legal threat: Reynolds
12h ago
The $1.33M rent reduction comes from what the club owed during seasons impacted by the pandemic.
Three different Regina Thunder players and one Saskatoon Hilltops member are currently donning the green and white helmet at Riders Training Camp this week.
Connor Klassen, Reece McCormick, and Riley Schick each come from the Thunder program, while Konner Johnson is the lone representative of the Hilltops.
While it can be intimidating to go up against some of the best CFL pros the game has to offer, Head Coach Craig Dickenson said he’s been impressed by what he’s seen from the young bucks.
“They’re fitting in,” Dickenson said.
“That’s the one thing we talked about in the first meeting is fit in. Figure out how we do things and do them to the best of your ability.”
Klassen said he’s trying to soak it all in right now and learn as much as possible from the pros during this experience.
“It’s definitely surreal. When we first got the call, it was just kind of crazy,” Klassen said.
“Making the jump from junior to pro, it’s definitely a lot faster, bigger and guys have just so much better technique.”
Klassen was named a 2021 PFC All-Star from his season with the Thunder. He said there’s a ton of talent at this level that you end up seeing in the professional ranks.
“People know how good (the CJFL) is, but I still think it’s a little bit underappreciated. You look at the starting (offensive) lineman for the Riders last year, two of the five played (Regina) Thunder,” Klassen said.
Klassen is one of two guys from the Thunder offensive line making an appearance at the camp. Just like his teammate, Riley Schick also enters camp as a PFC All-Star from last season.
Schick said he’s been able to learn from some of the current offensive linemen on the Riders that have gone down a similar path that Schick has.
“I’ve had some good leaders with Dan Clark and Logan Ferland. I talk to (them) and ask them different questions throughout the whole process so it’s been easy to know they’re always willing to help,” Schick said.
“Everyone on the team, not necessarily the O-Line, is willing to help you out with everything.”
On the other side of the ball, Reece McCormick brings in quite the resume.
The Thunder product finished with 16 tackles and three sacks in 2021, which helped earn him both a PFC All-Star title and CJFL All-Canadian.
The best part: McCormick did it all as a rookie at just 19 years old.
“Putting on a Rider helmet is just like a dream come true,” McCormick said.
“I’ve had a lot of guys ask where I’m from and I say here, and they ask how old I am and I say 19 and then they say, ‘how are you 19?’”
McCormick said the support from his friends and family when he first found out about camp was a surreal moment.
“Everybody’s just mindblown. I talked with my coach and he said there might be an opportunity at the end of the season and then it actually happened and now I’m here. It’s great, I’m blessed… it’s crazy.”