July 4, 2011

Maver: A vow to return from injury for the Stamps

Rob Maver
Stampeders.com

CALGARY — Everybody who has gotten back to me since Friday night’s game, whether it’s positive or negative . . . I appreciate all of it. Every single word. It’s all motivation for me. I’m not going to sit in the corner and feel sorry for myself.

I know that I cost this team the game Friday night and I’m sick about that. I let all of these guys down and our fans down and our coaching staff down, so I do apologize for that. I’m going to do everything I can to be healthy and be kicking at a level that I know I can.

I think the most important thing is the support I’ve gotten from the guys in this locker-room because they’re the ones that you’re with every single day. You’re on the field with them and working to get better. You’re in the gym working to get stronger and making sure that you can get through such a long season.

Those are the guys who see you in here every single day, coming in early, working out in the morning, in the cold tubs, getting your therapy, getting your stretching in. These are the guys seeing you putting in all that work. They know who you are as a football player isn’t defined by three plays.

I’ve appreciated everyone in the locker-room who’s been supportive as well as all the fans. Even the people who have been saying some not-so-nice things. I can understand why they feel that way. Their feelings are very justified and I’m going to do everything I can to get back and healthy.

When I earn my way back onto the field, I’m going to do everything I can to perform at my highest level so that I can help this team succeed and win games.

You have to have a different make-up to be a kicker. Sure, people say kickers are weird and stuff like that but at the same time, in order to be a good one, you’ve got to be tough. Every good kicker goes through injuries and goes through slumps and it takes a certain mindset to rebound from something like that.

You’ve really got to have thick skin and you’ve really got to be confident in what you’re doing because the second your confidence wavers, that’s when doubts set in and that’s when you’re not going to be able to perform and help your team.

Without a doubt, I know what I can do when I’m fully healthy and that’s to perform at a very high level.