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To commemorate the Riders’ upcoming Grey Cup appearance, Renaissance Retirement Home hosted an early celebration on Wednesday featuring two Roughrider alumni.
The honoured guests were former offensive lineman Scott Redl and former receiver and senior executive Steve Mazurak.
“It’s important for us as alumni to really be involved in events like this,” Mazurak said.
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Mazurak was born and raised in Regina, going on to play with the University of Regina Rams before beginning his professional playing career.
Former Roughrider Steve Mazurak was born in Regina and deeply understands the love the people of Saskatchewan have for football. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)
The event was held on Wednesday instead of Sunday to accommodate Mazurak and Redl, who will be attending the game.
Being around the game for so long and watching Rider games while growing up, Mazurak said, he understands the importance of the Riders to Regina and Saskatchewan as a whole.
“I started playing football in Regina as an underage, undersized kid, like a lot of kids in Regina playing football – and you grew up with the memories and the closeness and the proximity to near neighbours who were sometimes football players,” he said.
Mazurak added that while he was growing up, he lived down the street from former Rider Ken Carpenter and that Mazurak’s older sisters were good friends of former Rider Martin Ruby’s daughters.
“That kind of relationship builds in your bones and builds in your blood,” Mazurak said.
One of the residents attending the party was Marie Bradley, a season ticket-holder since the 1960s. She says she got into the team through her late husband, who she called a “die-hard” Rider fan.
Bradley said events like Wednesday’s are part of the reason Renaissance feels like a big family.
Marie Bradley lives at Renaissance Retirement Residence. She has had Riders season tickets since the 1960s. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)
“I think Saskatchewan has the best fans in the world,” she said.
“They travel for miles, very dedicated. We’re very dedicated to all our sports, really, but to football in particular.”
Bradley has lived to experience all four of the Riders’ Grey Cup wins, and has vivid memories of people “going wild” while celebrating in the streets and hopes to see them win again.
“This is the most exciting one for me. I guess as you age, you kind of think, ‘Maybe I won’t be around for another one’, so it’s really exciting,” Bradley said.
Bradley herself also has a lot of personal connections to the team, as one of her brothers was a good friend of the late Jim Hopson, the team’s former president and CEO.
