Neumann’s Notes: Vernon pipeline still strong for Dinos football – University of Calgary Athletics

Football
8/30/2024 9:00:00 AM

Jack Neumann

CALGARY – Liam Reid and Brayden Szeman have played football together now for eight years. 2024 could be their last. The pair never played youth hockey together but were always on opposite teams, but once they started youth football have always been on the same team. 

Reid and Szeman are following former defensive lineman Josh Hyer from the highly successful program Vernon Panthers program under head coach Sean Smith. Hyer spent four years with the Dinos along the defensive line and was a starter on the 2019 National Championship team. The Vernon connection to the program started in 2016 when Carson Labrecque joined the program. Sadly, Labrecque’s career was cut short due to injuries but he paved the road for others to follow. 

Reid and Szeman attended Vernon Secondary School where they were British Columbia Provincial Champions for three years before joining the University of Calgary Dinos in 2020.

Both had no football during their first year on campus due to the pandemic and had an abbreviated season in 2021.

Reid, now in his fourth year of U SPORTS football, is one of the most versatile players on the defense – being able to play either at linebacker or on the defensive line and can long snap if needed. He is hoping to be drafted by a Canadian Football League team in 2025. His younger sibling, Roan Reid is a sophomore receiver on the team and saw action in several games last year.  

“Liam can be used in so many different ways, and that is such a great asset,” stated defensive line coach Chris Anstey, who has coached him for two seasons. “We can deploy him in so many spots.”

The Reid brothers are from a football family. Their uncle, Angus, had a distinguished 13-year CFL career. Uncles Bruce and Mark played professional football in Europe after attending Simon Fraser University. 

During the offseason, the Reid brothers and Szeman train with Angus in Vernon. 

Liam is aware of his Angus’s outstanding professional career. 

“Wearing 52 has a lot of meaning for me. It was Angus’s first number,” stated the 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker who is in the Haskayne School of Business majoring in Real Estate Development.

Szeman, who turns 22 in early September, has emerged as a mainstay along the offensive at centre and has become a team leader. He redshirted his first season in 2021 and became a starter the following season. 

“Brayden is a quality senior and wants to elevate his game personally. He is a committed and loyal player to the program,” stated offensive line coach Pat Sheahan.

“We (Liam) and I grew up playing against each in drills in football,” stated Szeman, who is majoring in Geology and hopes to work in the oil fields after football and university. “We have friendly battles. It is good competition between us.” 

Both have earned the respect of their fellow teammates and are captains for 2024.

Head coach Ryan Sheahan has respect for the program that produced the Reid brothers and Szeman.

“Based on the calibre of athlete that have come to the Dinos and others that have gone elsewhere in U SPORTS schools, compounded by their Subway Bowl appearances, it is obvious it is an excellent program,” Sheahan stated about Vernon Secondary School. 

The Reid brothers and Brayden Szeman, hopefully not the final players for the Dinos from the Vernon Panthers football program.

-UC-