WILLIE PILE
There are many aspects that make the CFL stand out when compared to its southern counterparts, including the twelve men allowed on the field per team, the 150 yards by 65 yards sized-field, and the points-scoring system. However, the most unique aspect of the CFL that few leagues can rival is the roster mandate placed on the eight CFL teams.
According to the CFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team is allowed a maximum of 42 players on its active roster and of those 42 players, no more than 19 of them may be imports (non-Canadians). The quarterbacks (usually three) are exempt from the import/non-import distinction. So basically half of every team’s non-quarterback players must be non-imports. This rule is known as the “ratio rule.”
Determining one’s import/non-import status can be a little confusing at times, however, for simplistic purposes, we’ll use born and/or raised in Canada to classify an athlete as non-import, with everyone else being called imports.
In my opinion, the ratio rule was, and still is, a fantastic way to ensure the long-term success of the CFL. Not only is the league building and maintaining a strong fan base in every province where these homegrown athletes represent, but they are building a deeper relationship with the CIS and high schools that provide the majority of the non-import athletes.
There are many instances of non-imports who have played college football in the U.S., including Adriano Belli and Ray Fontaine of the Toronto Argonauts, Brent Johnson of the BC Lions and Davis Sanchez of the Montreal Alouettes, and have returned to Canada to continue their football careers.
To take it a step further, the ratio rule is also acts as a S.O.S. to CFL athletes, fans, and coaches across the country to support and cultivate football at the grassroots level.
I’ve hosted an event called The Willie Pile X’s and O’s Life Skills and Football Camp, for the past three years in my home area of Northern Virginia. At my camp, we stress the fundamentals of football and speed and agility training, while educating the campers on goal setting. The theory behind the camp is that the techniques we teach will transfer over to any league, including the CFL.
I’ve read on CFL.ca about the Playmaker Camp in Edmonton hosted by my blog counterpart Kamau Peterson of the Edmonton Eskimos, as well as the kicking camps hosted Damon Duval of the Montreal Alouettes and Sandro DeAngelis of the Calgary Stampeders in both Montreal and Calgary. These three men are examples of pro athletes taking the initiative to grow the game of football in Canada and develop the talent pool from which the CFL will eventually pull.
As CFL athletes, we recognize that we are ambassadors for the game of football and that our actions both on and off the field can go a long way towards sparking interest in our sport.
We don’t know who the next star non-import will be, but there’s a great chance that attending a football camp, a CFL game, or watching one on TSN, will plant the seed that will grow the CFL to greater heights.