Kolankowski has come a long way

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This article was published 14/11/2023 (786 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HAMILTON — No Winnipeg Blue Bomber has seen his role change more since 2021 than Chris Kolankowski.

In that year’s championship game — which also happened to be in Hamilton — the centre from Etobicoke, Ont., was activated from the practice roster for game day because backup guard Tui Eli refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and wasn’t allowed to travel.

It was only the third time that season that Kolankowski dressed.

“I was just happy for an opportunity to be around this team, honestly,” Kolankowski said after Tuesday’s practice at Tim Hortons Field.

Fast forward to today, the Grey Cup is back in Hamilton, and so are the Bombers. The top prize in the three-down game can be theirs with a win over the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday. The difference this time is that Kolankowski, now 31, is the starting centre and will have a big impact on whether or not Winnipeg hoists the silver mug for a third time in four seasons.

“It’s something I definitely took some time to reflect on. Even before the Western Final, I took a moment to take it all in, just what the road has been,” said Kolankowski.

“All the sacrifices my wife and family made to help me keep going was all worth it.”

Kolankowski needed every bit of their support.

He was drafted in the sixth round, 49th overall, by the Toronto Argonauts in 2016 and was released after two seasons. His career was on the ropes as he spent 2019 outside the CFL. He was so eager for another chance that he drove eight hours to Cincinnati, Ohio, for a Bombers free agent camp in September of that year. He made strong enough of an impression to get signed in 2020, but with no season due to the pandemic, he had to patiently wait until 2021 to make his return to the gridiron.

“I actually got a job in Hamilton doing drilling. My old boss actually hit me up today saying good luck and congrats… So, yeah, it’s kind of cool to be here,” said Kolankowski, who lives just over 30 minutes away.

Kolankowski shouldn’t have to work a drilling machine anytime soon as he was one of the best centres in the league this season. Right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick was named the team’s nominee for the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award, but Kolankowski finished right behind him in the voting.

“He’s done amazing, and you can’t not be inspired when you hear his story,” said right guard Patrick Neufeld. “When a guy works that hard, it really lets you know how important it is to him and you know you can’t slack on anything because a guy like that has put everything he’s got into this.”

There’s an even bigger reason why having this week in The Hammer is meaningful to Kolankowski.

“I’m lucky. My wife’s pregnant and she can’t fly right now so she can actually come, so, it worked out very nicely,” he said.

There’s a chance the Bombers wouldn’t be here this week if it wasn’t for the heroics of Nick Hallett.

The backup safety from London, Ont., made the play of the Western Final when he blocked and recovered a punt before getting dragged into the end zone by his teammates in their 24-13 win over the B.C. Lions.

“In my rookie year in 2019, I helped cause a fumble on a punt against Calgary and I just jumped on the ball. The next day I thought I was going to get a lot of praise for that, but I was actually given a correction,” Hallett said.

“They said ‘Pick up the ball next time and advance it.’ So, that’s always been on my mind. So, when I saw the ball (last Saturday), I got up and went as far as I could before I was escorted into the end zone.”

Hallett got to the punter so quickly that he ended up blocking the ball with his shin. Linebacker Brian Cole II and defensive end Thiadric Hansen were the main two guys that helped push the 29-year-old to paydirt.

“The biggest thing is in a heartbeat recognizing that opportunity that you’re home, that you’re there, that you can get to that spot. And he has that,” said head coach Mike O’Shea.

“I think that’s what’s missing sometimes. You can take the same guys who are both athletically very similar and both can do it technically, and then one guy does it and one guy doesn’t… Nick’s got that ability that in a fraction of a second he sees the opportunity and is able to do something about it.”

Hallett also blocked a field goal with two minutes left in last year’s Grey Cup — a 24-23 loss to the Toronto Argonauts. Growing up just 90 minutes from Hamilton, this week is also somewhat of a homecoming for him. He’ll have at least a dozen family members in the stands and a few more are still working on getting tickets.

“Hopefully I can just play a part in getting this thing finished off,” said Hallett.

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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