Foreign White Rock thank you, Mr Speaker, recently Simon Fraser University abruptly announced it would be shutting down its football program. This announcement is blindsided staff, families, football communities and, most importantly, the players. The decision has left the student athletes stranded, unsure whether they can or where they will continue their football careers.

This uh this announcement is pretty personal to me because well growing up I spent many hours up on the mountain watching football games.

It's um it's hard. Every every summer, I would go up with my uncle and tag along, and my job was a ball boy. I was a ball boy. I was a water boy for six for six years up there with us a few and inform those relationships, relationships with people like Angus, Reed, Sean, Millington, John, McDonald, others, Julio, caraveda, there's a long list, and some of these players didn't just go on to the CFL or the NFL they want. um They went on to become firefighters, doctors, lawyers and other strong members of their community.

I, remember I, remember sitting in my aunt and uncle's kitchen when a player would phone because they were having a personal struggle and it was my uncle the coach who would take that call and work through with them or when a new player would come to town. My aunt would make dinner and welcome them and just be a part of the family.

Tomorrow is a day of action for SFU football, it's being led by the SFU football alumni Society to raise funds for the players that are so affected by the BC Lions have pledged to match those funds tomorrow. So I ask all those in this house to support the SFU players and the SFU football alumni society as they as they try and get out of the courthouse and back onto the football field. Thank you.