Ottawa Redblacks kicker Lewis Wardduring is hugged by teammate Anthony Cioffi after his final field goal of the game during second half CFL football game action against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, July 28, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power
The road to the Grey Cup is an improbable one. Everything needs to go according to plan, players need to stay healthy, coaches need to make calls, and when it comes to the 50/50 ball, you make sure it’s 100% yours.
Lewis Ward’s pro football career seemed just as improbable this time last season, concluding his final U Sports season with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. A record-breaking year as Ward became the OUA all-time leader in field goals and finished as the leading scorer in program history.
However, still uncertain of his future as a football player, Lewis decided to grab some extra cash working security at the 105th Grey Cup in Ottawa. A front-row seat to the crazy antics of that evening including Lirim Hajrullahu’s last-minute field goal to seal the deal for the Toronto Argonauts 17th championship.
Fast forward a year later, Lewis Ward, alongside his REDBLACKS teammates, has just eliminated Hajrullahu and his new squad, the Tiger-Cats, to claim the Eastern Division championship and secure a chance to play on the biggest stage in Canadian football.
It has been a season of successes for Ward who is now a nominee for not only Rookie of the Year but special teams player of the year. Ward was named an eastern all-star, breaking franchise, league and pro football records, and will now have the opportunity to cap off his first year with a chance to be crowned a Grey Cup Champion.
“It’s been an amazing experience and season, and I feel I took advantage of every opportunity. The coaching staff believed in me and put me in the best position to be successful,” said Ward.
However, this hasn’t affected his outlook ahead of Monday’s game, saying, “My mindset going into the game is to just enjoy every moment of this experience. I’m so lucky to be in the position I’m in, and I’m super grateful for the opportunity ahead. I’m going to enjoy everything about this week, but once Sunday hits and warm up starts, it’s a regular game and I’ll be focusing on doing my part to help us win.”
