REGINA - Kamryn Maurer is currently attending university as an environmental studies student while playing football for the Regina Riot.
Between those two, Maurer pays thousands of dollars yearly for her education and around $700 for her athletic fees.
"I think that can sometimes be a little pricey, especially when you [could] have to pay them all [at] once," said Maurer.
last year showed 65 per cent of students attending post-secondary institutions declared themselves financially unstable. Meanwhile, 45 per cent struggled to cover basic needs like food and housing.
With these costs for students, Football Saskatchewan has stepped up to support those in post-secondary school who play for select football teams in the province through their Athlete Assistance Grants.
Those teams include the Riot, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, the University of Regina Rams, the Regina Thunder, the Saskatoon Hilltops and the Saskatoon Valkyries.
To potentially receive the grant, a team will rank their athlete assistance nominees based on a few merits.
The first is the method of selecting each program’s elite athletes, who are chosen based on awards for the team/league, all-star recognition and the previous year's statistics.
The second is academic rating. A player needs to qualify academically for admission, enroll full-time in a post-secondary institution with a course load recognized by said institution, and remain at a "level of academic standard that is sufficient for readmission the following year," .
Finally, two graduating high school players from each elite must be chosen, provided they play for one of Football Sask. four elite programs. The players are selected based on their potential and evaluation of previous camps and games.
Once selections are decided, a few players on each respective team could receive a grant from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000.
Maurer herself has received the grant numerous times over the last few years. In previous years, around $500 was awarded to her. However, for this year, the grant will potentially fully cover the costs of her athletic fees.
Along with Maurer, six other Regina Riot athletes also received the grant.
Love for the game
Maurer was big into playing sports, like basketball, in high school because she really loved the team environment.
In Grade 12, she joined the Regina Victorias, as the team was formed that same year.
"So that sort of got me into [football], And then I didn't actually start playing with the Riot until a couple of years later."
Maurer joined the Riot as a defensive back (DB) in 2023, helping the team make it to the Western Women's Canadian Football League (WWCFL) finals in 2024, where the Riot lost 36-21 to the Valkyries.
For the Riot, it’s been six years since they won the championship, which Maurer says is their focus for the upcoming season.
The team has been practicing since Jan., as Maurer is working on improving her "agility [and] better road coverage, while [being] faster. And then I also would like to work on my hands."
She referenced a few plays last year where she had a few dropped picks
"I try not to dwell too much on my mistakes, at least during the game. That's for later [when the team goes over] film for our coaches to help correct. But yeah, it's a motivator to continue to try to do as best as I can."
Maurer is committed to continuing playing for the Riot after she completes post-secondary school, if everything in her life aligns. She is also interested in playing for Football Canada's Senior National Women’s Team, who played in the world championships in Finland in 2022, with multiple Riot players competing on the team.
