Roughrider Szarka tackles Regina city council
Last Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2009 | 10:15 PM CT
By Jennifer Graham, The Canadian Press
Saskatchewan Roughrider Chris Szarka, a fullback, will represent citizens of Ward 10 on Regina city council. (CBC)Chris Szarka, a fullback with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, is entering a new playing field — local politics — after winning a seat Wednesday on Regina's city council.
Szarka, a 13-year veteran of the CFL club, defeated incumbent Jerry Flegel to represent Ward 10 in the city.
He collected 49 per cent of the 4,679 votes cast while Flegel captured 30 per cent. The third candidate in the ward, Michael J. Cassano garnered 21 per cent.
On the day after the election, Szarka was preparing for the Riders' next CFL game, set for Saturday in Hamilton.
"My first order of business was told to me by (Regina Mayor) Pat Fiacco ... and the rest of councilors, that is to go out and win on Saturday," Szarka said Thursday with a laugh.
Szarka said his teammates backed his run for the council seat.
"They stood out with me in the cold and, you know, smiled and waved to everybody as they went and voted," Szarka said.
The 34-year-old insisted his new role at city hall won't impact his duties on the field.
He is not the first Canadian athlete to make the leap from sports to politics. Former Alberta premier Don Getty spent 10 years with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed was also with the Eskimos for a few years. And Liberal MP Ken Dryden was the goaltender for the NHL's Montreal Canadiens from 1971 to 1979.
While Getty, Lougheed and Dryden made the move after their playing days were over, Szarka said the timing was right for him.
"The civic election came up at the perfect time right now. You know, with me being a little bit older in my career. It came up and I took the opportunity. It was something that I wanted to do for a few years now and I jumped at the opportunity," he said.
"Just being involved in Saskatchewan here, being involved in Regina has fuelled me to do that. I've always been involved as a player here and this gives me a way to stay involved after football too."
Szarka will also have a unique insight on an issue under discussion in Regina: the replacement or refurbishment of Mosaic Stadium, the city-owned football filed and home of the Riders.
