Charity near and dear to CFL offensive lineman Josiah St. John’s heart

With his football future in limbo, Josiah St. John is taking some time to kick the rust off his jump shot.

The hulking six-foot-five, 309-pound offensive lineman is currently a CFL free agent after three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. On March 30 at a venue to be announced later, St. John will trade in his cleats for high tops and participate with many other CFL players and celebrities in the Hoop For Opportunity, a charity basketball game he organized to raise money and awareness for a program aimed at giving all children the opportunity to participate in sport.

It’s a cause that’s near and dear to St. John’s heart. Growing up in Ajax, Ont., he was able to play minor football via Jumpstart, a Canadian Tire program that helps youngsters participate in organized sport and activities by assisting with the associated costs.

“When I was younger I relied on organizations to have the opportunity to play organized sports,” St. John said. “I know how much that helped me and grew my love for the game.

“I was thinking one day, ‘What if there are kids like me who want to play but just don’t have the ability to.’ So I thought I’d partner with an organization and put on events to create more awareness for that and help raise funds.”

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St. John has certainly taken full advantage of his opportunity. After high school, he played football for junior colleges in California (Fresno City College) and Texas (Trinity Valley Community College) before becoming the first Canadian to ever line up for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Then Saskatchewan made him the first overall pick of the 2016 CFL draft. 

St. John doubts any of that would’ve happened without Jumpstart’s assistance.

“I don’t think I’d be where I am right now,” he said. “I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d be doing without it.

“It’s a scary thought.”

Last year, St. John worked with Their Opportunity, an Oshawa, Ont.,-based organization that provides low-income families with the means to enrol children into sports and recreation programs. He participated in Dimes 4 Times, a program that involved about 30 elementary schools in Durham Region encouraging students to gather loose change in their classrooms to help bring “change” to the lives of less fortunate children.

This year, St. John founded the Hope for Opportunity basketball game, with the proceeds going to Their Opportunity. And he’s also planning on participating in this year’s Dimes 4 Times event scheduled for next month.

Among the CFL players scheduled to play basketball are Riders quarterback Brandon Bridge, a native of Mississauga. Ont., running back Marcus Thigpen and receivers Brian Jones and Naaman Roosevelt.

St. John played basketball up until Grade 9 and said even though he’s a football player now, he still has serious court game.

“I can still hit a couple of jump shots,” he said. “I played in the post but I feel like I could step out behind the arc a little bit.

“You’ll see, for sure, I’ll be like (L.A. Lakers guard) Lonzo Ball. That’s what you’re going to see from me.”

Organizing the charity basketball game is helping take St. John’s mind off the uncertainty surrounding his football career. CFL free agency began Feb. 12 and St. John is still without a contract.

“Right now, we’re just trying to find a good opportunity,” he said. “Wherever I go I have to be able to get on to the field.

“That’s kind of like my priority right now, regardless whether it’s in Saskatchewan, Montreal, the moon or Mars. That’s kind of what I’m looking for.”

And St. John admits free agency is a difficult process to go through, especially for the very first time.

“It’s frustrating because I want to be part of a team right now,” he said.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press