Andrew Peirson waited his flip for beginning position on B.C. Lions O-line and is greedy onto it tightly now

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Andrew Peirson simply retains grinding.

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The offensive lineman from Kingston, Ont., hustled and muscled his manner onto the B.C. Lions follow roster 5 years in the past as an undrafted free agent out of Gannon College, an NCAA Div. II program in Erie, Penn.

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He labored his manner right into a back-up position on the primary roster, all of the whereas turning into somebody eager on being a presence in the neighborhood and dealing with ambassador duties for the membership.

He each pushed ahead and persevered from there. 

The beginning left guard job was open at Lions coaching camp this yr, with Jarell Broxton, who held down the submit within the closing few weeks final season, transferring to sort out because of the departure of Joel Figueroa in free company to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. 

David Knevel, who was a third-round draft decide in 2018, was the doubtless favorite going into camp, however Peirson was there when the mud settled, and he’s holding his floor up to now.

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Thursday’s go to for the Lions (6-1) to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-2) will mark Peirson’s forty sixth profession recreation in his 5 years within the CFL. It’s set to be his sixteenth begin, eight of which have come this yr.

“Nothing has been handed to me. I needed to win that spot this yr. It was by no means actually mine, and it’s nonetheless not positively mine. Each week, it’s about exhibiting up each day and realizing that I’ve much more to show,” Peirson mentioned after follow earlier this week. “It’s good. It retains me working. Complacency is a killer on this trade. The second you get complacent is the second you possibly can lose your spot. 

“I’m not going to lie and say this has all been simple. There have been days through the years the place I’ve mentioned, ‘Why am I doing this if I’m not taking part in?’ I like being the crew man, being the utility man, being in the neighborhood and doing the media stuff, however in the end it’s not the primary motive I’m right here. I need to be on the market on the sector attempting to dominate.”

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Peirson was a twin main at Gannon, learning finance and entrepreneurship. He acquired an NCAA DIv. II Athletics Administrators Affiliation tutorial achievement award all 4 of his seasons. He took his chartered monetary analyst level-one course through the COVID pandemic shutdown, and scored within the ninetieth percentile on the ultimate examination.

Peirson might be making extra money than he’s making now within the finance world. He would definitely be making his cash in a much less gruelling style.

However he’s a competitor, an athlete. That’s paramount to why he has caught it out. Pierson additionally likes that soccer offers him a platform to talk to children. He gained the Lions’ Jamie Taras Neighborhood Service Award in each 2019 and 2021, and in keeping with his LinkedIn web page he has given shows at over 200 colleges.

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He says {that a} studying incapacity made it tough for him to study to learn and he struggled in class early on.

“There was a very long time the place I used to be crying to my dad and mom — why am I so completely different?” Pierson recollects. “I couldn’t spell. I couldn’t do any public talking. I’ve needed to work at it.

“I attempt to give again and let folks know that you simply’re not alone. That’s one factor I used to be battling once I was in class, these folks within the class who weren’t working that arduous and nonetheless getting good grades. I do know there are folks on the market struggling like I used to be.

“Basically, it’s what I like about this league. I like that I can go to varsities, that I can go to a (minor soccer) follow in Surrey and inform the children, ‘I’m no completely different than you. It wasn’t that way back I used to be taking part in in Kingston and Rob Bagg (a Saskatchewan Roughrider receiver from Kingston) was popping out and handing out soccer playing cards.’” 

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Peirson can be doing his share with the Lions’ ever-expanding social media recreation, teaming with fullback David Mackie to interview teammates on Behind The Helmet episodes that yow will discover on YouTube.

Peirson listed at 6-foot-3 and 300 kilos on the CFL web sites, however even he admits the peak is “a little bit of a spherical up” — it might be a few inches beneficiant. He additionally says that he performed final yr at 325, and that dropping weight has helped him be each extra cell and bodily whereas “making my physique really feel so much higher.”

Lions offensive line coach Kelly Bates lauds Peirson for being a “so coachable,” and believes that “when he’s executed taking part in this recreation, he’s going to be an excellent coach.”

The Lions have given up 9 sacks prior to now two video games after permitting 10 within the preliminary 5 video games. Head coach Rick Campbell didn’t sound overly fazed by that earlier this week.

“That’s a operate of all people on offence,” Campbell mentioned. “It might be the O-line, it might be the working again, it might be the QB not getting the ball out on time, it might be the receiver not working his route appropriately. Additionally, they pay the blokes on the opposite aspect to make some performs.

“There’s plenty of issues we have to get higher at. We’ll maintain working at it.”

Twitter: @SteveEwen

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