A Paul Kane running back has been recruited to play for the University of Alberta’s football team.
The University of Alberta announced Oct. 3 that the Golden Bears football team had recruited Paul Kane running back Aidan Purdon for its 2021 season.
Purdon is a Grade 12 student at Paul Kane who has played two years with the PK Blues football team.
Blues football coach Rob Strecker said Purdon is a great kid with solid character and personality who is always looking to improve as a player.
“Not only is he a big guy, but he’s a fast guy,” Strecker said of the 6’1”, 200-pound Purdon, which lets him punch through the opposing line and drive the ball down-field.
"He comes through those holes (in the defensive line) hard and he does some damage too when he goes through there.”
Purdon said he has been playing football since Grade 3 with the St. Albert Minor Football Association. He said he has tried many sports, but kept coming back to football due to the brotherhood he felt on the field.
“I’ve played soccer, I’ve played volleyball and basketball, and there’s just nothing that compares to how close you get with your boys in football, because you’re legitimately protecting each other.”
Purdon said he applied to join the Bears and got an email offer from Bears coach Chris Morris last January while in English class.
“I was super excited,” he said, and he called his family as soon as class was over.
“It’s been a dream of mine for a while to play at the next level.”
Morris said the Bears had seen Purdon in action at past training camps and believed he had potential. Purdon now has to finish high school with an 80-per-cent or higher average to get into the U of A and make the team. If he does, he will receive a scholarship and access to tutors and team study sessions.
Morris said Purdon is one of about 20 players recruited to the Bears this year. PK alumni Tanner Buchanan and Tyler Turner (who was recently signed to the roster of the B.C. Lions) are already on the team.
Purdon said he hopes to take immunology or pharmacology at the U of A, and thanked Strecker, SAMFA and his dad for their support.
“Don’t let the haters stop you,” is Purdon’s message to others.
“If you work hard, you can truly achieve anything.”
