LCI Rams football player signs with U of A Golden Bears

By Dale Woodard on January 18, 2022.

For Cale Strom, it simply felt like home.

So for the graduating LCI Ram, it only made sense to look north as he gets ready to begin his post secondary career.

On Monday afternoon, in front of family and friends and his LCI coaches, Strom committed to the University of Alberta Golden Bears at a ceremony at LCI with Golden Bears head coach Chris Morris in attendance.

“I’m super-excited, I can’t wait,” said Strom, who was named an offensive lineman all-star last season with the Rams. “I just felt like Edmonton felt like my home. When I went on my visit, I definitely saw myself going there. I loved the guys and I loved the coaches. It looks like it could be a very good fit for me. I went out with the players there and I just had such a good time. It’s good chemistry and a really good team and I’m so excited to play for them.”

That feeling is mutual on the Golden Bears.

“There are not a lot of high school players who look like Cale,” said Morris.

“Cale is a physically developed, strong, ready-to-play university football kid. There just aren’t a lot of guys like that out there. Hi strength, size and speed and the way he plays, it’s very advanced for a kid his age. We’re excited to have him.

“He’ll play a defensive line position for us where you have to be big and strong, but being quick is also essential, and he has all of those attributes. So we’re very excited he has come to play for us.”

Strom anticipated the step up to the U SPORTS ranks that awaits him this fall.

“I think it’s definitely going to be a lot faster pace and a lot harder hitting, he said. “Overall it’s going to be a lot more intense. So I welcome the challenge and I can’t wait.”

As he makes the step up, Strom noted what his learned in his time in LCI silks.

“It means the most. This has been my dream since I was a kid, just to be able to finally do this and accomplish this, it’s like I’m living the dream. It’s awesome,” he said. “The coaches have definitely adapted me to the university level, the way they coach and they way they run their practices and how intense they are in their practices. They’ve definitely prepared us seniors who are moving on to the university level. I really want to thank the coaches for that.”

Now, Strom has to take care of business on and off the field.

“He just has to take care of school. He has sure to make sure he takes care of his marks,” said Morris.

“(If there are) no marks, the rest of the stuff doesn’t happen. Everybody gets excited when you sign, but there’s still lots of work to be done.

“Then we you get to the university, the transition to an elevated level of academics combined with an elevated level of play, everybody kid on our team was the best guy on their team.”

“So that changes things a little bit when you get there. That’s a challenge, but he’s such a good kid. He was certainly had lots of choices. He could have gone anywhere in the country, so we’re excited to get him.”

Strom is looking at studying either sport performance or physical health and activity.

In the meantime, he gets back to work preparing for the next step.

“I’ve worked out for a few months of my own, but off their program,” said Strom. “In March I go to their first spring camp. In July I go to another one and then I go up there.”

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