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Rottier returns

Westlock’s Simeon Rottier will return to Alberta to play for the Edmonton Eskimos for the 2012 season in the Canadian Football League after recently signing a free-agent deal with the club.
Simeon Rottier offers advice to two T-Birds during a training camp in Westlock last spring. Rottier will return to Alberta to play for the Edmonton Eskimos this season.
Simeon Rottier offers advice to two T-Birds during a training camp in Westlock last spring. Rottier will return to Alberta to play for the Edmonton Eskimos this season.

Westlock’s Simeon Rottier will return to Alberta to play for the Edmonton Eskimos for the 2012 season in the Canadian Football League after recently signing a free-agent deal with the club.

The Eskimos issued a media release last Friday saying they had officially signed Rottier, a former first-round draft pick and university all-star.

“We're absolutely delighted to welcome Simeon back to Alberta as a member of the Edmonton Eskimos,” general manager Eric Tillman said.

“Simeon is a young man of exceptional character who will be an excellent representative of our organization in the community.”

Rottier as well expressed how happy he was to return to Alberta, and in particular to join the Eskimos.

“Being able to return to Alberta and play for the Eskimos in front of their incredible fans fulfills a lifelong dream of mine,” he said.

“The Eskimos have a very bright future and I’m excited to be part of it.”

In the Feb. 4 edition of the Edmonton Journal, Rottier said the main reason he wanted to return to Alberta is to be near his large extended family now that he and his wife have a young baby boy of their own.

His mother, Sharon Rottier, said she couldn’t be happier knowing she’s going to get a bit more grandparent time, but also knowing her son is going to be where he wants to be.

“It’s pretty exciting, because it’s his childhood dream,” she said. “Since he was a kid he always wanted to play professional football and he did say the other day when he got to walk through the (Eskimos’) locker room that this is like coming home.”

The 28-year-old offensive lineman was the first overall draft pick in 2009, and spent three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Prior to that, he had several successful seasons with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

He was the first-ever Golden Bear to be the first overall draft pick in the CFL. Following the draft in 2009, Rottier told the Westlock News he credits this community’s support for his success.

“It’s a good community,” he said. “I always felt like people there encourage kids to pursue their dreams.”

There’s little doubt Rottier’s return to Alberta will be popular among local football enthusiasts as well. He spent some time last spring helping with the spring training of the local Westlock Thunderbirds football club, and serves as an inspiration to many of those young players.

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