Rams' Bodnar finds his niche
Aug. 23, 2010 - Regina Leader-Post
By Craig Slater
Three years after graduating high school, Chris Bodnar has finally made it to Regina.
Though the Saskatoon product was originally recruited by the University of Regina Cougars as a high school senior to play basketball, Bodnar is now a student-athlete at the U of R and a member of the Rams football team.
"It's all about timing and opportunity," said the Rams' new punter and place kicker following a weekend practice. "I believe everything happens for a reason and I'm here now to try to capitalize on this new opportunity."
After Bodnar helped to bring basketball and football city championships to Holy Cross high school as a Grade 12 athlete, he red-shirted with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in both sports.
A year later, Bodnar bounced over to the Saskatoon Hilltops junior football club and was listed as third on the depth chart among quarterbacks.
But where he excelled was punting. The past two seasons with the Hilltops, Bodnar was a Canadian Junior Football League All-Canadian punter and ranked among the league leaders in punting with close to a 43-yard average.
Last year with the Hilltops, Bodnar assumed the punting, kickoff and field-goal duties. He's expected to do all three with the Rams this season.
"Even when I was in high school, coaches would be telling me that (kicking) would be my ticket," he said. "I would just kind of laugh it off at the time, but I've become passionate about it now and I thoroughly enjoy it."
Two solid seasons at the junior level drew the interest of a few teams at the pro level. Bodnar was among the top kicking prospects for last year's Canadian Football League draft. Although he wasn't selected, Bodnar had a taste of the CFL this past summer when he was invited to work out for three different teams -- Hamilton, Toronto and Saskatchewan.
"I found I wanted to take my game to a higher level," he said. "Frank (McCrystal, Rams head coach) knows where my dreams and aspirations are and hopefully one day I can reach them."
In an effort to improve his new-found craft, Bodnar has been working out with former Rams punter Jon Ryan, who is now among the top punters in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.
Ryan was also a two-sport star in lacrosse and football when he played for the Rams. Ryan was also a receiver when he was at the U of R, but found his niche with punting.
Bodnar hopes he can follow in Ryan's footsteps.
"He's been a great mentor to me through this," Bodnar said of Ryan. "He just kind of found what worked for him and went after it. Look where he is now. I'm just trying to do the same thing."
After a weekend of two-a-day workouts, the Rams will begin practising once a day starting Tuesday. Their annual Green and Gold scrimmage is set for Friday, 7 p.m., at Mosaic Stadium.
The Rams will open the Canada West regular season on Sept. 3 at home versus the University of Manitoba Bisons.