By Sarah Stall
Calgary running back Dean Fisher was named the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union offensive player for the week of September 30 and it’s no surprise. In the Dinos’ 37-17 defeat of the Alberta Golden Bears, Fisher had a career game with 36 carries for 234 yards and three touchdowns. This recently engaged player is now second in conference rushing, only 20 yards behind University of Manitoba standout Ken Vermette.
Fisher, a five-foot-eight, 195-pound fourth-year player, played his high school career at Calgary’s Bishop Grandin and is majoring in Computer Science at the U of C. As a tailback he provides intensity and athleticism, and is someone his fellow players look to for work ethic and skill development.
Fisher is quick to give credit fellow players for Dinos success this season.
"The team this year is really shaping up. We have supportive rookies that are ready to step up and play when there are injuries," Fisher noted. "The big difference this year was the off-season conditioning that the team has started. Team management and leadership have also made a big difference for the team."
The team has eight players from 1995, the year the Dinos won the Vanier Cup.
"It is possible for us to win the Vanier Cup again, if we continue to work hard as a team," Fisher remarked. "We train hard right up until game day and our fitness shows on the field."
His teammates think Fisher is a great player, and hope he continues to do well in years to come. Dean Fisher is a solid team player who is continuous on and off the field, contributing to practices and helping his team to win and make the necessary yardage to score points. He can also be used on the special teams and can play fullback if the need arises. Fisher attributes the entire offence for stepping up their game to get the 20-point win over the Golden Bears last week.
The Dinos are now second in Canada West and their win over the U of A a propelled them into a ninth-place ranking in the CIAU. The uneven Canada West schedule determines that every game the Dinos play can either lead them to the Vanier Cup or will keep them from making the playoffs.
The Dinos’ next game is this Friday at McMahon Stadium at 7 p.m. They will look for revenge against the Regina Rams who fell 50-1 to the Manitoba Bisons last week. Fisher and the Calgary team could score 50 points against Regina and the difference could be you.