By: Riley Pollock – 04.12.24
There are a couple of familiar faces ready to lead the Riggers this season.
The team announced their leadership group heading into their first game of the season this weekend in Halifax against the Thunderbirds.
Jesse King enters his third season as the captain of the Roughnecks and says things will be a little different this year with former captains Curtis Dickson and Dane Dobbie rejoining the team.
“It’s good, those guys have really strong voices,” he said. “It’s nice that it doesn’t have to be my voice all the time, which I do feel like in the past it was a lot of me just because a lot of our other leaders lead by example on the floor.
“You have guys like Dobbie who are really passionate, really competitive and he knows the game so well. Dickson is the same way, he leads by example really well on the floor, takes care of himself and I think when they are both really positive on our bench, guys look towards that and see we can be positive but constructive at the same time.”
Eli Salama will also be entering his third season wearing an ‘A’ for the Roughnecks. The sixth-year defender says he never takes the role for granted.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to play in this league,” Salama explained. “To wear a letter in an organization like Calgary is just next level. As a kid I didn’t expect to be here doing that but I take it quite seriously. It’s a great group of guys both with letters and without that are helping steer the ship and I’m thankful to be a part of it.
A new face in the leadership group with another ‘A’, Reece Callies, is also heading into his sixth year in the league, all with the Roughnecks. He is excited for the new position with this group.
“It’s hard to put into words,” he said. “It’s a big recognition by the team and the entire franchise. That letter could have been on 25 other guys in the room and it just so happens that it’s me right now. It’s some big shoes to fill, there have been some giants that have worn a letter through the course of this franchise so I’m very blessed and very happy about it.”
Roughnecks head coach Josh Sanderson said the three players wearing letters deserve it but leading this team won’t fall all on them.
“Reece deserves to be named an assistant,” said Sanderson. “Obviously Jesse and Eli are returning as well. We’re really happy to have those three guys leading the way and obviously we have an extended leadership group that are very capable of wearing a letter as well. We’re very happy with the leadership moving forward on this team.”
The leadership group will look to help the Riggers start strong Saturday against the Thunderbirds. Game time is 3 p.m. MT on TSN+ and NLL+.
