Life has a way of working things out.

One way or another, it all comes full circle.

Stampeders Special Teams and Assistant Head Coach Mark Kilam has found himself back where it all started, as he was named to the Lethbridge Vipers board of directors.

“I grew up with football in Alberta, from Southern Alberta minor football, high school, All Alberta All-Star team to University of Alberta,” he said. “I thought to myself ‘why aren’t I involved in this?’

“I felt this urge to use all my experiences to try and help make this happen. I felt like if it didn’t happen and I didn’t do anything to help I would regret it later on.

“Football is important there (in Lethbridge) and the surrounding communities that have good quality football players. It’s a program that could definitely succeed and that was part of the draw because it would be so successful with access to so many players.”

The team is currently working towards joining the Canadian Junior Football League in 2022, raising funds and collecting letters of intent as they strive to reach their goal of $100,000. As of July 9, they already raised an impressive $69,000.

“We’re trying to drum up the support,” said Kilam. “Junior football is a chance for trades and businesses to create opportunity for these young men to gain valuable experience and inroads with these companies if they are a part of the team.

“Right now I’m trying to bring my experience and energy to get that push going.”

The prospect of building up a program from the ground up and see the growth over the years was something that Kilam couldn’t pass up.

It’s not every day an opportunity like that presents itself.

“It’s super exciting,” Kilam exclaimed. “If you can use your experiences and be a driver of something and see it through is very attractive. To be able to start something from scratch with your ideals, mindset and your core values as part of the foundation in what you are doing, that’s exciting.

“I’m not at those stages yet with this club but I know I want to be. I want to try and help shape that.”

The Vipers have big plans for years to come, with Anthony Parker (not the Stampeders alumnus) wanting to create countless opportunities for those involved in the game locally and continue to see growth on the field and in support off the field.

It’s a one step at a time approach that the Stamps coach is looking forward to.

“His goal is to develop all levels of football in Southern Alberta,” Kilam said. “Using the Vipers as the foundational piece to develop more peewee, women and flag football.

“There’s the long term goal of if we can get SAMFA (Southern Alberta Minor Football Association), high school football and all those entities to come together to try to partner with the city to get a football first facility long-term like Shouldice.

“He has these long term goals and that’s exciting to try to be a part of that vision.”