It was a trying first season in the Canadian Football League for Karl Lavoie.

After sitting out the first three games of the 2015 campaign, the Calgary Stampeders offensive lineman made his professional debut as a backup in a July 18 home game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. When starting centre and former Universite de Laval teammate Pierre Lavertu went down during the contest, Lavoie stepped onto the field.

Unfortunately, Lavoie lasted just a few plays before suffering a serious knee injury. The big man spent months recuperating and it wasn’t until the Western Final he was able to return to action.

“It was a long season,” admitted Lavoie, who was Calgary’s first-round pick, ninth overall, in the 2015 draft. “I was on the bench seeing everyone on the field, and it was hard.

“The last game was kind of a present just for all the effort that I did in the weight room. You never want a season like that, but I’ll try to do my best to not be injured (again).”

The Quebec City native was a three-time conference all-star and two-time all-Canadian during his collegiate career with the Rouge et Or. Despite his lack of game experience as a rookie, Lavoie believes 2015 was a valuable season.

“Just being in the meeting room and just learning the playbook and learning (in general) will help me a lot for next season,” he noted.

With offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach Dave Dickenson taking over as head coach and John Hufnagel moving into the general manager’s office on a full-time basis, Lavoie is looking forward to continuity as he prepares for his sophomore campaign.

“It’s the same personnel,” he remarked. “There’s no addition because it’s a coach that’s been here a long time. Everybody knows him and we’ll just go forward with it and wait for next season.”