Huskies kicker excited for opportunity with Riders

University of Saskatchewan Huskies kicker and Canada West all-star David Solie is turning a page of his football career after signing with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Less than a week after the Huskies fell to the Laval Rouge et Or in the Vanier Cup, Solie signed a deal with the Riders. He’s no stranger to green and white either, as those are the only colours he’s worn in his football career.

“I’ve worn green basically my whole football career, with Holy Cross, and with the Huskies now, and now hopefully a different shade of green with the Riders,” Solie said. “It would just be something I’m forever grateful for.”

Even though he has years of football under his belt, Solie said he knows he still has a lot of work to do. But, he added, it would be special to start his professional career in Saskatchewan.

“It’s been something I’ve been working towards for a very long time,” he said, adding he grew up watching the Roughriders.

He said he decided to take the opportunity with one year of U Sports eligibility remaining because he will finish his psychology degree at the end of the school year. If he were to return to the Huskies next year, he’d have to find more classes to take.

If he ends up returning to the Huskies for that final year, the kicker said finding classes would just be another obstacle he’d have to clear. But right now he’s putting his focus on cracking the Riders’ roster.

“It’s every kid’s dream to go play professional football somewhere, not to mention staying home,” he said. “So when that opportunity came to me, it was a no-brainer to at least give it my best shot.”

Solie said it would be surreal to make the team, as his family has a strong connection with the Riders. His grandfather, John Holash, was a longtime director for the team and spent a lot of time with George Reed.

“Every time we run into George anywhere he still has nice things to say about my grandpa,” Solie said.

Breaking the news to his family about signing the contract was another moment he’ll never forget.

“I called my dad, but I knew it was news I didn’t want to just call my mom and tell,” Solie said.

So, he said, he did what any good son would do.

“She was actually teaching a class, and I went to her school and had to tell her in person, because I knew it wasn’t something that I think I should be sharing over the phone with her,” he said.

Solie said excited would probably be an understatement when describing how his mom reacted to the news. But despite all the joy and excitement of signing the contract, Solie said he knows he has to put in a lot of work this off-season in order to make the team.

Even though he’s yet to have a conversation with head coach Craig Dickenson, Solie has been able to connect with his new teammates already.

“I’ve been getting lots of messages from lots of guys. I know Jorgen Hus has messaged me here – the long-snapper for the Riders. I know he does a lot of his training here in Saskatoon,” Solie said, adding he hopes to get to work with Hus to get ready for training camp.

He could also have one of his former Huskie teammates join him in the CFL. According to 3DownNation, quarterback Mason Nyhus has been added to the Riders’ negotiation list after going undrafted in 2022. Solie had only good things to say about Nyhus.

“He’s one of those guys that you want on your team,” Solie said. “He’s such a great leader, and such a great friend in general.”