BC Lions vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Week 7 of the 2022 CFL regular season.
Written by Ryan Bailey- It was a strong rookie season for Canadian Nathan Cherry, who made himself a key part of the Lions’ defensive core. Making the transition from college ball to pro ball came with its challenges, but now with a full season under his belt, he’s using these experiences to better prepare for year two.
“My first year was such a growing experience.
You think you know a lot coming out of college, but you don’t know much.”
Nathan Cherry
He credits much of his learning to his veteran teammates and fellow defensive linemen.
“Being able to learn from guys like David Menard, ‘Night Train’ (Josh) Banks, Woody Baron; there are so many of those guys that I’ve learned a lot from.
Learning more about my footwork, my hand speed, foot speed, aiming points on offensive linemen. There are a million little things that I’ve improved,” he said.
Once the 2022 season ended, Cherry went back home to Saskatchewan and took some time to step back from football. But once he was rested, the desire to get back to the game couldn’t be stopped.
“I really started to miss it and now I can’t stay off the film. I’m itching to get back on the field immediately,” Cherry said.
Despite this, he’s also decided to go back to school and finish his education. While his football days with the Huskies are over, his time as a student is not. Cherry is continuing his studies in business this winter.
“My first couple years with the Huskies, I was in arts, but I decided I wanted to pursue a business opportunity,” explained the 2022 first-round draft pick.
Finding the balance between his education, training and personal life is keeping him busy and in a routine for the new year.
“Usually, I wake up and do a bit of schoolwork to make sure I’m ready to go for the day.
I’ll go and train for around two and a half hours and then head to school for the rest of the day. After that, I’ll kick back and relax for the night.”
While he’s home, Cherry trains with other CFL pros from Saskatchewan. Some of them are fellow Lions but also pros from other teams. Despite being good friends, they never lose sight of their competitive nature.
“I usually workout with Riley Pickett, Noah Zerr and Evan Johnson, who plays on the Riders.
We’re friends for the whole year; other than the three hours we play against each other,” laughed Cherry.
The Huskie bond remains strong for these guys. Despite only crossing over for a single season as teammates, Cherry credits Evan Johnson for being a big part of his development as a player.
Looking ahead to training camp and the 2023 season, Cherry tries not to get too caught up in statistics and numbers as his benchmark. His focus is based more around day-to-day improvements.
“You never know what may come and go, so just push yourself every day as hard as you can.”
He knows he’s in a much stronger position than he was a year ago. With his experience and preparation this winter, Cherry will be back in BC better than ever before.