By Darren
Steinke
Gordie Howe Sports Complex
 |
| Mason Grabowski motors downfield for the Bears. |
“I’m strong, physical, fast and I like to like punish
people,” said Grabowski.
The Grade 12 running back, receiver and punter for the Aden
Bowman Collegiate Bears Football Team has developed into one of the province’s
best high school players. He helped Saskatchewan reach the gold medal game of
the Football Canada Cup held this past July in Edmonton, Alta.
The gold medal game between Saskatchewan and Quebec was
ultimately not played due to air quality concerns caused by the smoke from
forest fires from B.C. and Alberta. On August 4, Football Canada declared
Saskatchewan and Quebec would receive gold medals as co-champions of the event.
With all that noted, Grabowski’s words of sounding like a
physical throwback are backed up by his Bears head coach in Justin Loshack.
“He (Grabowski) is a warrior,” said Loshack. “He has been
playing through some injuries too.
“He is just honestly getting better every week and healthier
every week. He just brings a physical dimension to our game that you don’t see
very often in high school.”
The 17-year-old Grabowski said he has loved the game for pretty much as long as he can remember. The love for the sport was passed down through his family.
“On my dad’s side of the family, they’re just like big football fans,” said Grabowski, who stands 6-feet and weighs 190 pounds. “My dad played.
 |
| Mason Grabowski makes an acrobatic catch for the Bears. |
Grabowski started out playing flag football under programs offered by Saskatoon Minor Football and progressed to suiting up to play tackle in the Kinsmen Football League making him a frequent visitor to Saskatoon Minor Football Field. He said his father, Trevor, who played for the 1986 CJFL champion Regina Rams, was his biggest influence in helping him out in the sport. The Rams joined the U Sports ranks in 1999.
“He (Trevor) has just been around the game,” said Grabowski.
“He can help me.
“He tells me what to do better.”
Going into
Grade 9 in 2020, Grabowski didn’t get to participate in any type of high school
football game action as the SSSAD didn’t hold any competitions during the
2020-21 school year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had gripped
the world. Shutdowns and restrictions were in place in various areas of life at
that point in time.
Full high
school football action returned to the province in 2021, and Grabowski found
himself on the Bears senior team playing safety, receiver and a little bit of
running back. He discovered playing at the high school level was a bit of an
adjustment, but elected to rely on playing the game how he knew best.
“Coming into Grade 10, everyone was so big,” said Grabowski.
“I’ve been physical all my life and just fast, and I let my physical play be
just how I play.”
Loshack
said Grabowski has been outstanding on and off the field during the years he
has played for the Bears. The sideline boss has noticed his young star player
has taken more of a leadership role as a Grade 12 senior.
“He (Grabowski) has always been good,” said Loshack. “His
play on the field has never changed.
.JPG) |
| Mason Grabowski (#11) enjoys the physical part of football. |
Loshack said Grabowski has benefitted from playing in SMF’s North Sask Academy League in the spring and with Football Saskatchewan’s provincial team program in the summer.
“I think it has helped for sure,” said Loshack. “Football is becoming the next hockey kind of thing.
“There is opportunity to play a whole lot more, and it has
helped players for sure. I would say for Mason (Grabowski) this year the
challenging thing has been the way he plays. His body takes a beating.
“We’ve been trying to manage some of those things too. I
think he is getting healthier and healthier. The way he plays he’s always going
to give it all that he has, and he takes some beatings because of that for
sure.”
Looking
back at this past summer, Grabowski said he was disappointed the gold medal
game of the Football Canada Cup was called off. He believes his Saskatchewan
side would have beaten Quebec in the title game.
So far
during his final high school season, Grabowski has helped the Bears start 5-0.
He said he doing everything he can to help the Bears win a provincial title.
“That has been our goal all year,” said Grabowski. “It has
been our goal since Grade 10.
“Every game that I’m playing, I just want to leave
everything I have out on the field.”
When it comes to playing at the post-secondary level,
Grabowski said he has been talking to some Canadian universities, but he hasn’t
made any commitments about where he might potentially play.
Loshack believes Grabowski could have a lengthy playing career
in the future that extends to the professional level.
 |
| Mason Grabowski battles his way through a pack of defenders. |
Grabowski isn’t looking that far ahead and is focused on
doing the best in the season he is playing in right now for the Bears. With
that noted, he is pleased to know he will have the chance to continue playing
the sport beyond high school.
“It is good knowing I’m going to keep growing as a football
player and just keep playing at the next level,” said Grabowski.“I just want to
keep playing and keep balling out and keep winning.”
