Strathmore Spartan signs with St. Francis Xavier University

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Bodey Pettifer, who played his final season of football for the Strathmore Spartans, has been signed with St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) in Antigonish, N.S. 

“It is awesome. I am super excited to be able to play football at the next level and keep playing the game. It is also exciting to go to university. It is a big step in life so that is always a bonus and I was pretty excited when I got the offer,” said the 17-year-old. “I emailed their (StFX) coach and then he reached out to me on Twitter and then we had a Zoom call, and they gave me a little presentation about the school and about the team. On the call, they gave me an offer and on Jan. 5, I accepted the offer officially.”

Pettifer explained he sent StFX a series of clips from his season which they then used to evaluate him as a player. The school also monitored his grades to ensure he was also managing his academic career. 

Being introduced to football in Grade 5, Pettifer got his start simply playing with a friend and their older brother. He joined the Spartans in Grade 10 and played throughout the duration of his high school career.

“It is a tough sport, there is a lot of contact, and it is like a brotherhood,” he said. “A lot of the teammates, you get really close with them because you go to tough games with them, tough situations, so you bond through that.” 

Pettifer played slot receiver for the Spartans. During his tenure, he was excited to have been part of the Spartans team to make it to the provincial finals in November of 2022.

“Unfortunately, that was a loss, but going there, we made history for the team,” he said. “It was cool getting to make history and play through those playoff games.”

While playing football at StFX, Pettifer will be pursuing a degree in business with a minor in economics. His future ambitions are to either find a career in an associated field, or to potentially become a firefighter.

Having not been out to see the campus in person, Pettifer added he is excited to be going in blind, save for photos of the campus, and what information is made available online. 

He will be joining another former Strathmore Spartan player, Nathan Cayouette, at StFX in the fall at the start of the regular autumn semester.