Roughriders' Jaxon Ford eager to showcase 'new me' with new number
Jaxon Ford's new jersey number comes with a new identity.
Article content
Article content
'Smarter, more aggressive,' said the Saskatchewan Roughriders third-year defensive back. 'New number, new me.'
Article content
After wearing No. 17 for his first two CFL seasons, Ford was approached this off-season by quarterback Tommy Stevens about giving up No. 17.
Article content
Considering Jaxon's grandfather Alan Ford wore No. 21 when he played for the Roughriders from 1965-76, the proud grandson was amendable to making a change if he could get No. 21, which was also a number he wore with the University of Regina Rams.
Article content
Ford just needed to convince safety Nelson Lokombo to move from No. 21 to No. 25, which was Lokombo's old number with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Article content
'Tommy texted me and I forget what number they were going to give him, but he wasn't satisfied with it,' said Ford. 'He wanted 17 and he knew that I wanted 21 and so we both kind of persuaded Nelson, and he knew 25 was open.
Article content
'So it worked out and everyone got the number that they wanted.
Article content
'It means a lot not only to me but to the whole family. I remember when I told (my grandfather), he was very emotional about it. Me too.'
Article content
In his first game sporting his new number, Ford drew the start at safety for the injured Lokombo during Saskatchewan's 15-9 pre-season loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday and had four tackles including two tremendous open-field tackles in the first quarter.
Article content
'We should have changed his number maybe a couple years ago,' chuckled head coach Corey Mace. 'I didn't have the pleasure to watch Al out there (but) if he was anything like that … Jaxon looked like a different guy.
Article content
Article content
'He's kind of set the new bar for himself, and that's the expectations that now we all expect from him.'
Article content
Article content
After being drafted in the second round by the Riders in 2023, Ford played 15 games in his rookie season, racking up 12 tackles and five special teams tackles, before undergoing off-season wrist surgery.
Article content
His recovery forced him to sit out training camp last year before missing the first 12 games of the season. The 24-year-old Regina product was finally able to return in Week 14, racking up two special teams tackles in the final six games.
Article content
This season, with a full training camp under his belt in his third season, the 6-foot-0, 210-pounder is hoping to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him.
Article content
'It feels great being healthy and getting a full camp,' Ford said ahead of Saskatchewan's second and final pre-season game on Friday (7 p.m., CFL+) at Mosaic Stadium against the Blue Bombers. 'Being able to learn the defence and be out there and actually play, it feels great.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
36 minutes ago
- CTV News
Innisfil Recreation Centre partially reopens Monday
Barrie Watch Innisfil Recreation Centre partially reopens Monday, except for the pool which still requires repairs.
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
McIntosh sets Canadian record in 800M freestyle
Canada's Summer McIntosh reacts after competing during the Women's 400m Freestyle Heats on day one of the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) VICTORIA — Two Canadian Olympic medallists went head-to-head in a nail-biting 100-metre butterfly race, while Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a Canadian record in the 800-metre freestyle on Sunday at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria. Ilya Kharun of Montreal and Josh Liendo of Toronto squared off in the same race that saw them share a podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Kharun won in a personal best time of 50.37 seconds, touching the wall .09 ahead of Liendo. Both were well under the AQUA A qualifying time of 51.77 for this summer's world championships in Singapore. The 20-year-old Kharun was happy with the win but sees room for improvement. 'There's definitely some tweaks I can improve on,' said Kharun. 'I know it's not perfect yet. There's some things we've got to work on.' Liendo took silver in Paris, and Kharun the bronze. It was the first time two Canadian men stood on the Olympic podium together and first double podium for Swimming Canada since 1976 (Cheryl Gibson, Becky Smith — silver and bronze 400IM). McIntosh had a sellout crowd on its feet at Saanich Commonwealth Place cheering as she swam the 800 metres in 8:05.07. That shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third-fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American legend Katie Ledecky set in May. 'I'm always hoping to break records and push the boundaries of sport,' said the 18-year-old, who set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle on Saturday's opening night. 'I'm always trying to be faster and faster. That just gives me more fuel to the fire.' Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett won his second event of the trials. The S14 swimmer with the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club won the men's 200-m multi-class freestyle event in 1:54.44. He earned a silver medal in the same race at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. 'It was really good,' said the 21-year-old from nearby Parksville, B.C., who won the men's 100-m multi-class breaststroke Saturday. 'We're right where we want to be.' Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., also picked up her second victory of the meet by winning the 50-m backstroke in 27.24 seconds. Ingrid Wilm of the High Performance Centre-Vancouver celebrated her 27th birthday by finishing second in 27.58. Both swimmers were under the AQUA A qualifying time of 28.22. 'I've been enjoying doing it and putting a little more focus on it this year,' Masse said about the sprint race, in which she was the 2022 world champion. 'Every little detail counts, trying to execute it perfectly. It's really fast and really hard.' Earning a spot on the world championships team helped Wilm shake off the disappointment of finishing third in the 100-back Saturday night. That meant she didn't qualify for the event for the upcoming world championships after reaching the finals at the Paris Olympics. 'I was frustrated after (Saturday) night,' said the Calgary native. 'It's to my chagrin we have such a deep field here in Canada. I relied a lot on my teammates and my coaching staff and it just once again showed me just how many people have my back.' It was a bittersweet victory for Blake Tierney in the men's 50-m backstroke. The Saskatoon native who trains at the High Performance Centre-Vancouver won the race in personal best time of 25.23 seconds. That was over the AQUA A qualifying time of 25.11 but under Swimming Canada's secondary standard of 25.36. 'A lot of work needs to be done,' said Tierney, who has been dealing with an ankle issue. 'I couldn't do a lot of kicking, so that kind of messed with the confidence. I'm just doing the best I can. I'm really thankful I made the team.' Two-time Olympian Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., also won her second race of the meet but wasn't happy with her time. Harvey, who trains with Montreal's CAMO club, won the 100-m butterfly in 58.37 seconds, over the AQUA A qualifying time of 58.33 but under Swimming Canada's secondary time of 59.91. 'I'm going to be honest,' said Harvey, who won the 200 breaststroke Saturday. 'It was good practice for my individual medley.' Montreal's Eric Brown won the 1,500-m freestyle in 15:17.54. That was over both the AQUA A time of 15:01.89 and the Swimming Canada secondary standard of 15:10.91. In other Para swimming events, Reid Maxwell, an S8 Para swimmer from the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club, won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:26.66. It was the same event in which the 17-year-old won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Canadian record time. 'It was a little slower than I wanted but I can't complain,' said Maxwell. 'I gave it everything I had.' Mary Jibb, an S9 swimmer from the Pacific Sea Wolves won the multi-class 400-m freestyle in 4:52.69. Emma Van Dyk, an S14 swimmer from the Brock Niagara Aquatics, was first in the women's 200-m multi-class freestyle in 2:23.78. Aly van Wyck-Smart, an S3 swimmer from Whitby Swimming, finished second in a Canadian record time of 4:48.05. During the morning heats S4 swimmer Jordan Tucker of Royal City Aquatics set a Canadian record of 4:03.87 in the S4 category. 'I'm blown away,' said Tucker. 'I'm very surprised but very hopeful I can keep breaking records.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. The Canadian Press
CBC
39 minutes ago
- CBC
'So much more positive': Leaving downtown to use a homeless shelter gave this woman hope
Social Sharing Calgary officials are trying to make the city feel safer by testing the idea of small, daytime homeless shelters in the suburbs. For Kim Richards, that approach was exactly what she needed. The former small-business owner says she was stuck deep in grief and drug addiction, drawn into a negative crowd downtown and constantly fearful as she wandered the streets at night. Then she heard about a day shelter at the end of the northwest CTrain line and decided to give it a try. What she found was a surprise. "The atmosphere is so much more positive and different than downtown. People, as they come off the CTrain, are happier," she said, standing just outside Journey Church, where the Calgary Homeless Foundation and City of Calgary are now funding a year-round daytime drop-in space. Six months after her first visit, Richards says she now has a viewing for a new apartment scheduled and is ready to move on. "I was in a rough spot. I was pretty much at my wits' end, the end of my rope. But [staff and volunteers here] are like sponsors and have helped me in so many ways," she said. "They helped me with grieving. … I'm excited to start up my cleaning business again. I'm just really happy to go back to normal life, because I know there is normal life [possible] now." Improving Calgary's shelter system is a key part of the city's safety strategy. Last year, its Downtown Safety Leadership Table found people don't feel safe downtown because of aggressive behaviour and vandalism, which are often associated with people who are homeless, even though most of those people are more likely to be victims than offenders. A Vibrant Communities Calgary study, last year, found the number of people struggling with addiction and homelessness also turns away would-be riders from public transit. But a key reason why people without stable housing are in train stations is because they don't have other welcoming places to be. Calgary's shelters are often closed during the day, or people avoid them for fear they'll be assaulted or robbed inside. Expanding winter shelter to operate year-round The drop-in shelter at Journey Church is a pioneer. It's beside the Tuscany train station and has been operating as a winter warming shelter for three years. With its new funding, the shelter can now operate all year from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The shelter offers food, mats to sleep on, clean clothes, a TV to watch, and access to volunteers and staff with several service agencies to help people get off the street. It was pretty quiet when a team from CBC News dropped by recently. About a dozen people were sitting at tables, sorting through clothes or sleeping on gym mats. Jacob Schenker, manager of the Distress Centre's Coordinated Entry program, says Journey Church's suburban location gets about 45 visitors per day. "We're in a bit of a transition phase, but we're excited that we're able to continue operating," Schenker said. "After folks have settled in, we like to engage with them, see where they're at in terms of what they might need for resourcing — when was the last time they were housed, where are they sleeping? "It's a walk-in resource centre where we have a number of different resources available, all with a focus on housing." Calgary residents don't have to be homeless to stop in. If someone has an eviction letter or a similar housing concern, they can meet with a team at the shelter and hopefully never end up on the street. Neighbours raising concerns around increased random camping and theft is a common issue shelter services can face in suburban or residential areas, and the Journey Church drop-in space was no different. In Rocky Ridge, neighbours contacted the city with complaints when the shelter service started and packed a town hall to voice their concerns. Since then, Schenker said they've added a staff member to stay for half an hour after closing and walk the streets around the building to ensure everyone is being respectful. The shelter's funding will allow the partners to operate year-round for two years, said Bo Masterson, vice-president with the Calgary Homeless Foundation. "The idea is we learn and we grow through those two years and look at what else is needed. … Where else in the city is this needed?" said Masterson. 'It's something the city needs' At the shelter, CBC News asked each person who was awake if they would like to share their thoughts on the space. Kevin Arthur kicked his shoes off and put his feet up on a plastic chair. He's been in Calgary 25 years, and had his first brush with homelessness 10 years ago when the Mustard Seed and Drop-In Centre were the only options. But the Journey Church's drop-in shelter has always felt more welcoming, he said. "I've never experienced this in the city," Arthur said. "You come and just get to be yourself without all this bullshit, and it's great. It's something the city needs." Michelle Auger picked up something to drink, then sorted through a rack of clothes. She's in a period of relapse in her drug addiction and she said she comes here to sleep because she's terrified to close her eyes anywhere else at night. "You don't know if you're going to get robbed, or someone's going to come and just start kicking you in the head," Auger said. Auger said she's a mother of five, a grandmother and someone who has achieved her dreams. While seeking treatment in 2020, she was inspired by one of the counselors, a man who had been an alcoholic and was now helping others recover. "I finished the program and luckily I was able to find my higher power. I was sober for three and a half years and I went back to college. I got a diploma in addictions and community services, then I got a job as a frontline crisis worker at the homeless shelter in Peace River," Auger said. "That was the goal, to become one of those people who helped others and I did it," Auger continued. "I feel like even people that don't have addiction aren't able to say that they accomplished their life goal." Auger is on the street after a relapse, but she hangs on to that story of hope. "There's so much relapse," she said. "It's part of it and sadly, it's a necessary part, you know? But I still don't like it. Because when I relapse I do it for a long time." Building out Calgary's shelter system Other work is also underway to improve Calgary's shelter system. The Drop-In Centre recently opened a smaller, quieter shelter space for couples and all genders beside its existing shelter downtown. President Sandra Clarkson said people who use that space have access to double the storage lockers for their belongings, in an attempt to address theft. The Mustard Seed recently received two-year operating funding to run a daytime shelter similar to the Journey Church drop-in, but downtown. It plans to renovate both the main floor and second floor to create space for showers, laundry and programs with other agencies to offer activities. "As we get to know the new folks that might be coming in, we'll be designing programming. We want to make it a welcoming place," said Mustard Seed CEO James Gardiner. But the renovations are not yet fully funded. The Mustard Seed has half of the $2.8 million budget covered with a grant from the province, the federal government and donations. Gardiner said they'll launch a new fundraising campaign soon to cover the rest. Kay Choi, the City of Calgary's corporate lead for safety, said the city knows it has more work to do to ensure residents feel safe downtown and on transit. They've already increased transit security and cracked down on loitering. The new move to create welcoming day shelters is the other piece of the puzzle, she said, to improve the wellbeing of people who are struggling and give them welcoming alternatives. In turn, Choi believes that should improve the general public's feeling of safety in public spaces. "We've seen such an increase when it comes to mental health and addictions," Choi said. "And it takes one interaction with somebody who is unwell that makes us feel uncomfortable and has an impact on the perceptions of safety."
