Dale MacMillan
When you think about the incredible journey Simeon Rottier took before becoming a Grey Cup champion, it proved one point.
It’s never too late to get in the game.
In 2014, he was the Edmonton Eskimos nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman and a CFL All-Star.
He made history as the first member of the University of Alberta Golden Bears to be picked first overall in the CFL Draft, in 2009 by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
After making his way back home to the Eskimos in 2012, Rottier has worked through some rough spots to become a leader on his unit.
Yet, it almost didn’t happen. Rottier’s path into professional football was totally unconventional and a touch unbelievable.
Rottier was raised just north of Edmonton in Westlock, where he starred as a high school basketball/volleyball star.
“To be honest, I didn’t play high school football,” said Rottier. “We didn’t have a team in Westlock at the time. Our (basketball) team underachieved a bit that year and I was getting fouled out all the time. For me, I’d always wanted to play football when I was a kid. I just thought to myself I always wanted to do this and if I don’t do it now, I never will.”
As it happened his mom’s cousin played for the Eskimos. Tim Prinsen not only played, but later became an offensive line coach with the team and is now the running backs coach.
“I didn’t really know him that well, but my mom said you should give him a call,” said Rottier. “He had played for the Edmonton Huskies and got me connected with them.
“I went around the school in Westlock and tried to find some of the biggest guys I could find to go try out with me,” said Rottier. “We’d come in at nine at night for four straight weeks in the middle of winter to see if we’d get noticed.”
So, the 18-year-old kid who had never played a down of football in his life got an invitation to the main camp in spring, earning a shot with the Huskies … as a tight end.
“I played tight end for two years and probably caught four passes,” Rottier said. “For the first couple of years, I was sitting on the bench wondering ‘what am I doing?’
Thankfully, the coaching staff had a different idea about the role the kid from Westlock would be better suited for.
“They said ‘you know, you should really play O-Line because you’re better at the blocking.’ So, I switched to O-Line in the middle of my third year. I was 225 pounds playing tackle.”
With Rottier’s help, the Mike MacLean-coached Huskies won the 2004 and 2005 Canadian junior football championship.
For a guy who had never played high school football, spending four years in junior and only a season-and-a-half as an offensive lineman, the learning curve turned out to be plenty steep.
“That’s just it,” said Rottier. “Obviously, I’m real thankful to the Huskies organization for giving me a chance. They didn’t have to do that, but maybe they saw something.”
To say it was a steep learning curve may be a bit of an understatement.
“They had to show me how to put my pads on the first day,” Rottier said. “I really had no idea what I was doing. I owe them a lot, that’s for sure.”
Taking what he’d learned, Rottier was then able to step into the U of A lineup from 2006-08. He became a three-time Canada West all-star and a first-team All-Canadian in his last season with the Bears.
People were starting to notice that this could be a kid with a future.
“I was definitely surprised (at how well it went),” said Rottier. “I had it built up in my head about what a great thing football would be. Then, I realized how much work has to go into it to succeed.”
Life has been good for the father of two boys who has a cheering section right behind the Eskimos bench every home game.
He completed his degree in agriculture, life and environmental science and attended the convocation weeks before he helped the Eskimos win the 2015 Grey Cup.
And, there was more good news on the way.
“That was pretty cool,” said Rottier. “I finally finished the degree. It only took me 10 years. A few weeks later, we won the Grey Cup.
“Right after the Grey Cup, me and my wife got pregnant again, so we’re going to have another addition to our family.”
Good news, apparently, comes in threes.