Whether it was growing up in poverty or suffering injuries that nearly ended his pro football career, JR LaRose didn’t let any of life’s difficulties hold him back.
LaRose — who played for the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos and B.C. Lions over nine years — spoke on Nov. 26 at the Heritage Inn about his experiences as part of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week.
A past life
LaRose witnessed his mother's abuse when he was 10 years old, including one time during a party at his home, he explained. A man threw his mother down the stairs, which angered him and prompted him to grab a kitchen knife. Family had to prevent him from attacking the man.
“No kid should ever have to experience that, but that is a lot of kids’ (realities),” he said.
He pointed out that one in three women will be assaulted her life, while more than 800,000 kids will witness their mother’s abuse. That is why he began telling his story in 2010 since he wanted to speak against violence.
“Everything I do, I do it to honour God, because I feel like God gave me a second chance at life … ,” he said. “If I can just inspire hope in other people and let them know there is light at the end of the tunnel, then that’s what it’s all about. That’s what my true calling is.”
LaRose explained that his mother and sister had rough lives. His sister — who was 10 years older and played a big part in his life — died two years ago, but not before cleaning up her life and helping other Aboriginal women leave a lifestyle of drugs.
A desire for a dad
“As a young boy, all I wanted was someone to call dad,” he said, noting he joined every school sports team since he had no family. “I always dreamt that one day my dad would walk through the gym doors, but that was not the case.”
Joining the school football team allowed him to get out his anger. This was also the first time he had a positive male role model, as his coach built him up with supportive words.
Since LaRose grew up on welfare, he often wondered from where his next meal would come. At age 16, he sat in mall food courts and hoped people left their uneaten food so he could consume the leftovers.
He noted that he would not change anything about his past since his experiences have made him the man he is today.
Football comes calling
LaRose played high school football so well that four U.S. colleges in Division 1 — one of the top football conferences — recruited him. However, his dream of playing down south crashed since he had poor grades.
He went to summer school to achieve the required credits, while he eventually played three years with the junior Edmonton Huskies. The Edmonton Eskimos eventually offered him a chance to try out.
“As a young boy, I remember sneaking into the Eskimo games. After the game, I would run onto the field and pretend I was one of the players, running around with one of those foam balls, thinking that that was going to be me one day,” LaRose said.
While some friends were excited for him, many weren’t, with some saying he wasn’t big enough or fast enough. But one friend pointed out the Eskimos wouldn’t have called him if they didn’t believe in him.
LaRose began playing for the Green and Gold at age 21 but couldn’t handle the success. He was partying, doing drugs, and drinking, which led the team to cut him halfway through the 2005 season.
The Eskimos went on to win the Grey Cup that year.
A year later, LaRose rejoined the team and stayed clean.
Hit with injuries
During the 2008 season, LaRose had his foot broken after an opponent hit him, causing the leg bone to explode. The doctor later told LaRose he would never play football again. This led to the team cutting him for a second time.
LaRose rehabbed his injury and tried out for the Eskimos in 2010. Even though he had a great tryout, he was still cut. He then tried out for the B.C. Lions and made the team.
The Lions played the Eskimos during the second-last game of that season when LaRose broke his ankle a second time. During the game’s opening kickoff, LaRose ran toward the ball barrier when a blocker hit him and pushed him away. Simultaneously, one of LaRose’s teammates fell into him, breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle.
LaRose thought his football career was over since he had broken the same leg twice. So, he and his wife discussed life after football. However, he still wanted to be a good role model for his son.
“I thought this could be such a great teaching moment (for his sons). You see, every single one of us gets knocked down in life … ,” he continued. “I thought to myself, I could really use this as a moment to teach my son that, when faced with adversity, you have to try to come back and give it your best.”
A difficult but successful season
He rehabbed his legged and, four months later, returned to the Lions. His return was short-lived, though, as he broke his forearm during a preseason game in 2011. However, he was out for only five weeks.
It was during his first practice back that he learned his mother had died.
“I was absolutely crushed. My mom was someone I had so much respect for (since she survived a residential school),” he said.
LaRose and the Lions eventually won the 2011 Grey Cup in Vancouver. While celebrating in the locker room, he reflected on his life and how it would have been easy to quit and adopt a victim mentality.
“I knew at a young age (that) one day I was going to have kids and I wanted to break that (poverty) cycle. I didn’t want my kids to go through the same things I had gone through as a child … ,” he added. “I didn’t want to allow my situation to become my excuse. So for me, my ‘why’ (his reason for the future) is my kids … . It’s a power of choice.”
