Rhys Dacre loves ‘gridiron’

Press, 10 December 1985, Page 44

Rhys Dacre loves ‘gridiron’

By

ROD DEW

The first New Zealander to win an American “gridiron” football scholarship, Rhys Dacre, has made great progress in his first period with the Utah State University squad and believes he has “a real good chance” of starting for the team when the playing season begins next year. “I love it,” he said of his football experiences so far. “It has been even better than I expected.. In the last six months I have learned so much.” The holder of the New Zealand 100 m sprint crown, Dacre, aged 21, returned to his home in Christchurch yesterday. He will be here

until January 12 and intends to make a brief return to the track as part of his build-up for football. He will have his first race at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday and also hopes to compete in the Technical twilight meeting on December 21. “I don’t know what sort of condition I am in," he said. Athletics had been pushed into the background since he had accepted the scholarship at Utah, he said. Dacre was offered the scholarship after representing New Zealand at the Pacific Conference Games in Berkeley in June this year. It was the answer to a prayer for the Canterbury speedster, who always re-

garded his sprinting as a means to gaining an introduction to American football.

When he returns to Logan, about 100 km north of Salt Lake City, he plans to take part in some indoor track meetings. The object will be to improve his speed and get in shape for football. Participation in the summer track season appears to be unlikely because of the demands of football. A former member of the Christchurch Boys’ High School rugby First XV, Dacre has no hesitation in saying that gridiron is tougher than rugby. “Out of all the sports I have tried, being d wide receiver in

American football is the toughest thing I have ever done.” Because of a hand injury in the early practices, Dacre has been “red shirted” or on the injury list this year. This means that he will still have the maximum four years of college eligibility when he returns next year. “This has been a learning year for me.” Although he has yet to play in his first competition game, he has been voted “offensive player of the week” on several occasions. Three full training games are played by the squad each week, and Dacre says he is more than holding his own against bigger and more experienced rivals.