September 7, 2010

Running forward not back

Second-year student D.J. Whetton is pursuing a combined education and drama degree. Photo credit: Riley Brandt As a kid, drama major and Dinos running back, D.J. Whetton grew up the outcast—the chubby kid who was always hanging around because of problems at home. Growing up in Montreal, Whetton didn’t speak “a lick of French” and didn’t have a lot of friends. But, rather than fall victim to a set of circumstances, Whetton spent every waking moment trying to stay out of trouble by hanging out at a local community centre and playing football.

“I was a paranoid kid,” he laughs. “I had a lot of cousins who were a lot of trouble so I did everything I could to avoid it. I’d get up, go to school, go to Sun Youth [community centre], get home at nine o’clock and go to sleep.”

Whetton saw football as a strategy to get away from the world, just like the drama class he signed up for in grade seven when his family moved to Calgary. “It was some freak thing I decided to do,” he says. “A good way to not to be me.”

It was the escape that led to his choice to pursue a combined drama and education degree, and it was his drama teacher, Shannon Dean, who changed his outlook on life. “He pretty much saved me through art,” says Whetton. “I want a profession where I can help people too. As a drama teacher, you can do so much to mold kids without lecturing them.”

D.J. Whetton plays running back for the Dinos football team. Photo credit: D. MollDespite what might at first appear to be two activities that attract very different groups of peoplefootball and drama share a focus on physical expression of self that for Whetton supplied a positive outlet.

Whetton wasn’t sure he would be able to continue playing football into university. He didn’t think he was good enough. But, head coach Blake Nill saw something in Whetton and gave him a spot as a third-string running back.

Going into his second year at U of C, Whetton is cautiously optimistic about the 2010 football season. “We got ranked number one in Canada, so every game is going to be some team trying to prove they can beat Goliath . . . we can’t take anyone lightly.

Not even the Regina Rams, who Whetton and the rest of the Dinos will be going up against on Sept. 10 for KICKOFF.

Whetton along with the rest of the players are hoping to see more faces in the crowd this year. He quickly points out, games are also a way to get away from the grind and have fun. “It’s a great way to come and get loose and forget about that 30-page paper you have due.”


To learn more about Kickoff including a tailgate party with free Spolumbo's sausage, visit: www.ucalgary.ca/kickoff/.

For a full roster of Dinos games, visit: www.godinos.com/.