Calvin McCarty doesn’t want to talk about the last time he was at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
Let’s just say it was with another team in the road jerseys and leave it at that.
The former fullback is much more excited about his next visit, which comes Saturday when he joins Eddie Steele for the EE Alumni autograph session prior to the Edmonton Elks game against the Ottawa RedBlacks.
For the first time back since he retired after spending the 2021 season in Calgary, the beloved EE FB will be back at his old stomping grounds as a proud member of the Green and Gold family.
“It goes back. It’s before me, it’s bigger than me. It’s a community, it’s a team, it’s the flagship franchise of the league,” says McCarty, who played in Edmonton from 2007 to 2019 and was a member of the 2015 Grey Cup championship-winning team.
“Just knowing the history of the guys that came before me and the people that helped put in work, I just wanted to leave my own impact and be a part of something bigger than myself and I’m glad I had the opportunity to do that. I’m glad I had the chance to have my family here. My kids are born here. Just being able to hoist the trophy in this community and give back, it’s priceless.”
"The CFL benefits from guys like Calvin McCarty."
– @ANTARCTIC_AG206 shared his thoughts on the career of @calvinmccarty31 at our Exclusive Season seat Holder Event earlier this week. pic.twitter.com/lMGG1bHcSJ
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) March 19, 2021
McCarty resides in St. Albert, where he works on support staff for the Recreation Academy program at William D. Cuts junior high school, and as a strength and conditioning coach at Absolute Human Performance training facility. Like so many Green and Gold greats before him, McCarty fell in love with the city and decided to put down roots in the area.
“It’s a testament to the blue-collar work ethic of the community and the way it ties in with the players and the way most football players are,” says the 37-year-old, who was born in Oklahoma and went to high school in British Columbia. “It’s a tough business and there’s a lot of tough Albertans out here that I think it just goes together.”
After suiting up for an incredible 203 regular season games in Green and Gold, McCarty relishes his place in EE lore and what it means to be an alumnus.
“Now it’s my chance to sit back and watch the young guys do it the right way, and for me, that’s the only way I wanted to do it: full speed, 100%, and just leave it all out there in the field and in the community,” says McCarty, who just this past week teamed up with Steele to run a youth football camp.
“To have the opportunity to be part of the tradition that came before me and leave my own mark, the natural progression now is to give back, to teach the game. So now I get to sit back and watch these boys and be a fan again, because I’ve always been a fan. I’m just embracing where I’m at and happy to have an opportunity to have been an Edmonton football club member for so many years.”
The EE alumni autograph session with Calvin McCarty and Eddie Steele takes place on the south concourse Saturday from when gates open until kickoff at 5 p.m., and is free for all attending the game. Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.