CFL.ca
Esks.com Staff
EDMONTON — Eskimos slotback Shamawd Chambers is not happy.
Despite posting a career-best in touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions he wants more.
“My whole focus this off-season is to mentally prepare myself to be a playmaker and succeed for 18 weeks and not just nine,” says Chambers.
2013 was a tale of two seasons for the second-year receiver. It took until Week 5 for the Markham, Ont. product to record his first catch. He had trouble with confidence with every dropped pass.
» Shamawd Chambers: By the Numbers
Chambers Week 1 to Week 10 stats: 12 REC, 113 yards and 1 TD
Chambers Week 11 to Week 19 stats: 30 REC, 352 yards and 1 TD
During the second half of the season, Chambers proved he can be a go-to receiver with the game on the line. Case in point: his five-yard catch on a two-point conversion in overtime to seal a 35-27 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Week 13.
His strong finish to the season earned Chambers the Eskimos Most Outstanding Canadian Award.
“I think I matured more this season than I have during any other year of football. It was tough… extremely tough when you have high expectations on yourself and I’m not performing the way I knew I was capable of.”
“I had to experience some of the growing pains as a player. It’s all part of growing and maturing as a player.
“Once I got going, I felt the sky was the limit and I strongly believe if I match my performance over the second half of the season I can be a 1,000-yard receiver and I believe I can be that for the Eskimos for years to come.”
Now as Chambers looks forward to the 2014 season, the former Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawk’s mindset won’t change.
“I will always have high expectations of myself. Next year I want to be one of the best players at my position, but my biggest focus is to find that consistency in my game,” says Chambers.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned from this past season is that you’re going to experience different things throughout your career that will make it a roller-coaster, but, at the end of the day, you just have to be consistent.”
