This is an update of a story first published in the Tri-City News on Oct. 15, 2021
A former Terry Fox Ravens soccer player has signed his first pro contract — with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
The Argonauts announced Monday, May 5, it’s signed kicker and punter Dawson Hodge, who recently completed a successful collegiate career with the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks that culminated with the school’s appearance in the USports Vanier Cup national championship last December.
Hodge will report to the Argos’ spring rookie training camp on Tuesday.
Hodge didn’t put on a football helmet and shoulder pads until his senior year of high school. And then only after he was coaxed by his twin brother, Brandon.
But after a few good practice kicks Dawson tried out and made the Ravens football team, helping Terry Fox reach the semi-finals of the 2018 Subway Bowl provincial championships, where they were defeated by the New Westminster Hyacks, 33-0.
Sitting in the locker room at BC Place afterward, Hodge said he realized he didn’t want his brief dalliance with football to be over.
As it happens, former BC Lions kicker Lui Passaglia is a neighbour.
Hodge worked with him to find his form, then headed to a high performance kicking camp in the United States to refine it. He won the field goal competition there, and finished second in kick-offs among some of the best high school kickers in America.
“This motivated me to pursue football and master the craft of kicking,” Hodge said.
More experience
Looking to gain more experience before taking a run at possibly being recruited by a post-secondary program, Hodge enrolled in an additional year of high school at a football academy in Toronto that plays exclusively against top American teams.
“They were really good teams, full of college prospects, so the tough competition made us better,” Hodge said, adding the experience of playing under the lights on Friday nights in packed little stadiums south of the border was enthralling.
The seasoning of his game paid off. A half dozen Ontario universities plus Simon Fraser University in Burnaby enquired about joining their programs.
After touring each, Hodge said he was attracted to Wilfrid Laurier in Waterloo that’s produced kickers who’ve gone on to play in the Canadian Football League in the past, including Ronnie Pfeffer, who won Grey Cups with the Argonauts and Ottawa Redblacks and also played for the Calgary Stampeders.
“I knew the team would utilize the kicking game,” Hodge said. “If I could prove myself, I’d have a good chance to be a starter in my rookie year.”
Pandemic pause
Alas, the COVID-19 pandemic kicked that dream to the curb.
Instead of lifting punts into the crisp fall Ontario air, Hodge worked out in a gym his parents set up in the garage of their Coquitlam home and studied Geography on his computer. Twice a week he ventured over to Town Centre Stadium to boot balls through the uprights, recording his workouts for online reviews with his coach in Waterloo, Darcy Segin.
Still, Hodge said, staying sharp was a challenge.
“The best way to stay motivated was being optimistic,” he said. “Knowing that one day we will get back out on the field encouraged me to keep kicking and working out.”
Hodge’s dedication paid off.
In four seasons with the Golden Hawks, he was successful n 63 of his 68 field goal attempts and his 255 punts sailed an average 41.3 yards.
Hodge was also Laurier’s rookie of the year in 2021 and he was named an Ontario University Athletics all-star and second team All-Canadian in 2022.
Hodge said his soccer background helped his success on the football field.
“It gave me a good foundation to start with.”
MARIO BARTEL 