Before he was a Grey Cup champion, he was a Canadian Bowl champion, and Andrew Harris is coming back to where it all began.
Harris is still a CFL player with the Toronto Argonauts, but heB次元官网网址檚 already gotten started on what will come next for him after his playing days are over. He spoke to the B次元官网网址 Bulletin this week about football, family and financial advising while training for his next career with LadysmithB次元官网网址檚 Orca Wealth and Insurance Services.
Harris has already gotten started as head of football operations with the Nanaimo-based Vancouver Island Raiders, the junior club with which he starred, set records, won championships and attracted interest from the pros. Harris will coach the Raiders in 2024, after one last CFL season, but heB次元官网网址檚 already become involved in coaching staff and personnel decisions, and has gotten the chance to talk to some junior football prospects who have been thrilled to receive a phone call from a CFL star.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e already a few more wins better than we were last year just as of today, based on our coaching staff and the new players we have,B次元官网网址� Harris said.
The V.I. Raiders were champions or contenders every season when Harris played in Nanaimo and part of his drive to revamp the organization is so that players now can have some of the same experiences he did.
B次元官网网址淣o matter what their story is B次元官网网址� if theyB次元官网网址檙e coming in for one year or theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be a five-year junior player, I just want to make sure that theyB次元官网网址檙e leaving the team a better person, a better football player and leaving them with some memorable experiences and things they can kind of hold onto for the rest of their lives,B次元官网网址� he said.
HeB次元官网网址檚 coached young players at camps, heB次元官网网址檚 been a locker room leader in the CFL and heB次元官网网址檚 a father, so heB次元官网网址檚 confident that heB次元官网网址檒l take to the teaching and leadership side of coaching junior athletes.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to be a big brother to these guys B次元官网网址� be their friend but also be stern with them. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be a fun relationship,B次元官网网址� Harris said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really looking forward to helping make an impact in their lives.B次元官网网址�
He says heB次元官网网址檒l be devoting time to the Raiders even once the CFL season starts. He had contemplated retiring from pro football after this past season, when his Argonauts won the Grey Cup, but with the group of guys the Argos were assembling for 2023, he decided he wanted to play one more year. He recognizes heB次元官网网址檒l be a backup or part of a running back tandem, and in the past he might not have accepted that, but he said he has to be honest with himself that the game film shows he isnB次元官网网址檛 the same back he was in his prime.
B次元官网网址淭he role IB次元官网网址檓 playing on the team is not just what IB次元官网网址檓 doing on the field, but itB次元官网网址檚 more so off the field,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o for me, IB次元官网网址檓 going to enjoy this from a different spectrum B次元官网网址� enjoying going to every stadium, enjoying the locker room a lot more.B次元官网网址�
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In addition to getting ready for the coming CFL and CJFL seasons, Harris is also looking after a four-month child, while also training remotely for his financial advising career. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot to read and a lot to learn, but Harris is picking it up well, said Orca Wealth owner Dave Shortill.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 managing to balance a really crazy time in his life where he had to make a whole bunch of really serious decisionsB次元官网网址次元官网网址� Shortill said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 got a very good business acumen [and] heB次元官网网址檚 a teacher. He loves teaching and as a financial advisor or an independent broker, we donB次元官网网址檛 really have anything to sell anybody, we just educate and teach them and show them what other successful people are doing.B次元官网网址�
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