THUNDER BAY -- Minor football is on the rise in Thunder Bay and Nigel Romick has proven there’s a trail from the city to the Canadian Football League.
Romick, a defensive lineman and special teams player with the Grey Cup-bound Ottawa Redblacks, on Dec. 17 will demonstrate his skills to football’s future in the latest rendition of Train with a Pro, a fundraiser for P.R.O. Kids that has proven highly successful with the local hockey community.
His sister, Erin Romick, on Monday said her brother can’t wait to put on the clinic, which will be split into two age-based sessions.
“He will have his own station where he will be facilitating drills with the kids, which he’s super excited about,” said his sister, filling in for Nigel as the Red Blacks prepare for Sunday’s championship game.
Unfortunately her brother, who injured his biceps earlier this season and missed all but two games in 2016, won’t be taking the field in Toronto this weekend, but after the Red Blacks lost last year’s Grey Cup final, Nigel doesn’t want to miss out first-hand on the celebrations should they take down the Calgary Stampeders in 2016.
It’s going to be a great event next month, Erin Romick said.
“We think it’s such a great opportunity to showcase that there are other sports, whether it’s football, soccer, running or anything like that, that can come out of Thunder Bay and be successful,” she said.
Nigel Romick was a star athlete at St. Patrick High School before taking his football skills to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
Drafted in 2014 in the third round by Ottawa, he played 11 games as a rookie and all 18 games in 2015, his sophomore season.
He was injured in training camp, had surgery on his arm and returned to play two games this season before being sidelined again.
PRO Kids’ Laura Daniele said football is a great sport to help diversify the Train with a Pro program.
“He’s putting Thunder Bay on the map,” she said of Nigel Romick.
“Why not feature Nigel for football? It’s the same format as the hockey program.”
The clinics will be held at the Hangar.
Registration begins on Thursday and costs $50 per individual. Children aged five to nine will take part in the morning session, while youngsters aged 10 to 13 will participate in the afternoon segment from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“The kids will be training alongside Nigel,” Daniele said.
For more information, phone 625-8463.
