Wednesday, September 05, 2018
Carson Waite-First Year Football
Carson Waite is well
aware of his role as a first year football player at Queen's
University. After looking at several other offers, he decided to sign
with Queen's, and has spent the last few weeks in training camp.
Carson began his
football career by playing in the Belleville Minor Football League.
He then became a star running back at Centennial Secondary School in
Belleville. Throughout his high school career, he excelled in
football and in rugby. “I really love rugby”' he told me recently
when we spoke by phone. He was on his way home from practice, ready
to tear into his submarine sandwich. “Rugby is a brotherhood, and I
like the whole team aspect of the game. But the same applies to
football, of course”.
As a rookie, Waite
knows that he will have to bide his time before cracking the starting
lineup. “There are six guys on the depth chart at my position.
There are more than 25 recruits. I know it is my job to work hard and
be ready”. As the season progresses, Waite hopes to get some action
on special teams, likely “containing the edge” on kickoffs and
punts.
He had just received
word that he had been accepted to stay in the Watts Residence this
year. “It's a really nice place”, he told me. He is also enrolled
in the Arts program and hopes to get into teaching some day. In the
meantime, he is expected to eat, sleep, and live football for the
next few weeks.
There will be a strong
contingent of Prince Edward County fans at Richardson Stadium this
fall keeping an eye on Waite. I received a tip from his uncle Phil
Neary to watch for him. His mother Sandra is a member of the
illustrious Platt Family from Wellington. His father Terry is our
bank manager in Wellington. Carson would not likely have a lot of
difficulty acquiring his student loan.
Waite is a Hamilton
Tiger Cat fan. He follows the Canadian Football League each year, and
would certainly consider that as an option in the future.
Carson stands five
feet, ten inches tall, and tips the scales at around two hundred
pounds. He could be considered an average size for a running back in
Canadian football. This may date me a little, but I remember
attending a Queen's game several years ago when a couple of backs of
similar stature piled up the yards against the University of Toronto:
Ronnie Stewart and Gary Schreider. A former school principal and
coach from Belleville, Jack Sisson also played on that team.
I told Carson that I
hope to be there on October 20th for the game against the
Ottawa Gee Gees. It is the 50th anniversary of my
graduation from Queen's, and the old grads get to “walk the track”
at half time. The parade swings by the student section, and we
reflect on those great undergraduate days and long nights of study,
preparing papers, and getting ready for exams.
The Gaels opened the
season on Sunday in Toronto. They defeated the York Lions 42-21. Next
Sunday they play Laurier in Kingston at Richardson Stadium, starting
at 1:00pm. Should be a good one!
James Hurst
August 27, 2018
# posted by James Hurst @ 9:22 PM 
