Copy of story fron Minot Daily News (link)
Former Beaver playing in the pros
Ex-MSU football player finding time in CFL
By KEVIN MEHRER, Staff Writer kmehrer@minotdailynews.com
Most kids grow up with dreams of playing for their hometown team.
For White Rock, British Columbia, native Sean Ortiz, that team was the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Now Ortiz is living his dream.
Ortiz started following his football dreams in Minot as a springboard to his collegiate career. He played for Minot State University from 2003 through 2007. While Ortiz was at MSU, he played under then head coach Mike Severson. Ortiz said he didn't see has much playing time as he wanted.
"I started (at MSU) as a redshirt freshman. I had one bad game - after that I just started seeing less and less playing time," he said. "I needed a new start."
After his time at MSU, Ortiz went back home to B.C. and attended the University of British Columbia. He was able to walk on and find a starting job at UBC on its defensive line. From there he got an invitation to the CFL's Evaluation Camp in 2008, which is very similar to the NFL Combine. At E-Camp he impressed CFL coaches enough to land another invitation, this time with the Toronto Argonauts' training camp. Ortiz's time was short-lived with the Argonauts as he was cut during the preseason.
Ortiz said that with the way Canadian rules are set up he was able to regain two more years of playing time at UBC. At the university, he recorded 13 tackles, three for a loss, and two sacks as a defensive lineman. Trying to further his football career Ortiz then traveled to Germany to play football. While in Germany he received a phone call from the Montreal Alouettes and was able to sign a contract before the season started. He saw action in two preseason games but was released at the end of training camp.
Ortiz sat at home in White Rock, British Columbia, all of the 2009 season. But that didn't stop Ortiz's hope to still make it to the CFL. Ortiz said he kept training hard and stayed focused - it paid off. Ortiz signed with the B.C. Lions on May 10 and has seen plenty of action since then.
"It is exactly that - it is a dream come true," Ortiz said of finally getting his chance of playing in the CFL.
Ortiz plays as a defensive lineman, but also plays all special teams plays. He as already notched two special teams tackles - and is looking for more.
"This is a great opportunity," Ortiz said. "Everyone is big, fast and strong. So you have to be as equally big, fast and strong."
Although Ortiz didn't see the field at Minot State as much as he would have hoped, Ortiz said his time at Minot State set him up for his later success.
"MSU was a very good program," Ortiz recalled. "We had very good coaching that developed me as a player. When I went to UBC I was head and shoulders over everyone else because of my time at MSU."
