Canadian Tyler Varga is eager to show he can do more than just run over people.The 21-year-old Yale University running back will strut his stuff next week in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl, the annual showcase event for top NFL draft prospects. Varga will begin practising Tuesday with the North team

Canadian Tyler Varga is eager to show he can do more than just run over people.The 21-year-old Yale University running back will strut his stuff next week in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl, the annual showcase event for top NFL draft prospects. Varga will begin practising Tuesday with the North team — led by head coach Ken Whisenhunt of the Tennessee Titans — before suiting up Jan. 24 at Ladds-Peebles Stadium to face a South squad coached by Gus Bradley of the Jacksonville Jaguars.The NFL Network will broadcast the game and daily practices, which will be conducted under the watchful eyes of NFL and CFL scouts, coaches and GMs. And the five-foot-11, 224-pound Varga definitely wants to give them something to talk about.Everybody labels me as a power back and inside-the-tackles runner but if given the opportunity I think I can do some work on the outside as well, Varga told The Canadian Press via telephone from Bradenton, Fla., where hes preparing for the Senior Bowl. Even though Im a big back Ive got pretty good feet, I think I can surprise people with my speed.Thats something I want to show.Varga is just the second Yale player to be invited to the Senior Bowl. Offensive lineman Walter Clemens was the first in 1951.Im really excited about it but Im trying not to let my emotions get the best of me, Varga said. Its a good opportunity to put Canadian football on display a bit and show weve got talented guys north of the border as well.Im also very proud to represent my university because there hasnt been a Yale player go since 1951. But I think this also shows hard work doesnt go unnoticed. Its by no means an end, its just the beginning, but its nice to kind of get your foot in the door and see that your hard work has paid off.Varga will have ample opportunity to impress. He said hell practise at both tailback and fullback.Im in a good position as far as getting a chance to display my skills because Im going to be able to show Im versatile, he said. I think that plays to my advantage.Varga, a Stockholm native who grew up in Kitchener, Ont., was dominant this senior season at Yale (8-2) with 1,423 yards rushing and a school-record 26 TDs. Twice he had five touchdowns in a game — including the winning three-yard score in a 49-43 overtime win over Army — and ran for a season-high 204 yards and two TDs in a 45-42 victory over Brown.That secured Varga the Bushnell Cup as the Ivy Leagues offensive player of the year and a first-team all-star nod. He also received second- and third-team All-American honours from The Sports Network and Beyond Sports Network, respectively.The Senior Bowl kicks off a long and rather unique job interview for Varga that will include next months NFL combine in Indianapolis, private workouts, pro days and player visits. Prospects will be poked, prodded, measured, timed, tested and interviewed repeatedly leading up to the 15 NFL draft, slated for April 30-May 2 in Chicago.Many people Ive spoken to say its the longest year of your life trying to prove yourself, get your feet wet and get noticed to hopefully stick with a team, Varga said. But the approach is definitely taking things one day at a time and thats something Ive been able to take away playing at Yale because the process was always a huge thing with our team.Instead of trying to look at the end goal all the time you have to look at whats next 200 feet in front of you. If you execute and dominate that 200 feet, then you can go on to the next 200 feet. If youre successful every step along the way youll find yourself standing in the position you were hoping to be in at the beginning. Its really just one step at a time, not letting things or people distract you and working hard.But being invited to the Senior Bowl is an important first step as 84 of the 110 players invited to last years game were drafted. This season all 32 NFL teams visited Yale to see Varga, the fourth-leading rusher in school history (2,985 yards) who had 17 100-yard games and three 200-yard contests over his three seasons there.Also of note, Varga had no fumbles among his 245 touches this season.All Im asking for is a chance to show what I can do, Varga said. Im pretty confident if I do get a chance with a team theyll see what kind of a worker I am and the focus, dedication and passion I have for the game.I just need a look and I think I have the ability to make a good impression.Varga began his college career at the University of Western Ontario and was named Canadian university footballs top rookie in 11 before transferring to Yale.When I transferred I set some goals and I achieved them all, Varga said. This year all the things that were accomplished I think were realistically in sight for me and my team at the beginning of the season.I was pretty confident in my abilities, I just had to go out there and basically execute and play like I know how . . . and we were able to have success from that.But Varga prides himself in being a complete running back who can also catch passes and excel in pass protection.Our scheme was pretty complex in terms of pass-blocking responsibilities for the running back, Varga said. I understood it very well which I think that gives me a little bit more of a head start . . . I had multiple reads in my pass-blocking assignments on any given passing play.Not surprising, Varga is also coveted by the CFL. The leagues scouting bureau ranked Varga fourth among the top-15 prospects for this years draft and the first skill-position player after offensive linemen Brett Boyko (UNLV) and Alex Mateas (UConn) and defensive lineman Daryl Waud (Western).Vargas top priority is playing in the NFL but hed have no qualms plying his trade in the CFL. As a youngster, he even attended some Toronto Argonauts home games.Id be more than happy to come back and play in Canada, he said. Thats a proud accomplishment as well.Its a great league to play in.When Varga finishes playing football he wont necessarily be done as an athlete. He admits the idea of being an Olympic bobsledder — following in the footsteps of former CFL running back Jesse Lumsden — is intriguing.Im someone who always needs something to work towards, he said. Once my football career is over and if Ive still got some juice left in the tank I might want to try something different and that would be kind of cool.Ill worry about that much later but its something thats interesting, some fact to maybe throw out there.Whats much more definitive, though, is Varga pursuing a career as an orthopedic surgeon once his days as an athlete are over.At some point down the road I want to apply to medical school, he said. But I wont try to do both at the same time.Im the kind of guy that whatever Im doing I want to do 100 per cent. I want to do it as well as I can. Running Shoes Cheap Australia . Jeff Carter had two goals and an assist as the Kings stretched their streak to seven wins in a row with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday. 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In a pregame tribute commemorating his final contest at Coors Field on Wednesday night, Helton caught the ceremonial first pitch from his daughter with his wife, younger daughter and good friend Peyton Manning watching from the field.MARKHAM, Ont. - Heartbreak has fuelled Canadas water polo teams for the better part of four years.Both the men and women narrowly missed out on playing in the 2012 London Olympics — the women by virtually the smallest of margins — and they havent forgotten.Its pretty much a constant thing, said mens goalie Robin Randall, who, at 34, has experienced the lows and highs of competing for Canada. Any time youre in a rut and you need to dig yourself of bed, and get in the car and go to practice, thats something you can think about. . . most of the time it adds to the fire thats already inside you.Canadas teams opened the UANA Cup on Wednesday night at the ATOS Markham Pan Am Centre, which is the water polo venue for this summers Pan American Games, and what the players hope will be the backdrop for a happier Olympic qualifying story.At the 2011 Pan Ams in Guadalajara, a gold medal would have meant an Olympic berth in London, but it wasnt to be for either team. The men lost 7-3 to the U.S. in their final. The womens loss was a more heartwrenching affair, an epic final that is believed to be one of the longest games ever. After ending regulation tied 8-8, followed by a scoreless overtime period, the U.S. edged Canada 19-18 in a penalty shootout for a 27-26 victory that left the Canadian women distraught on the pool deck.Its still motivation for me, said veteran Krystina Alogbo. It is hard, but all these moments bring that passion, that feeling that you still want it. We did come a hair short from qualifying, and its just that feeling of almost having it just gives you that extra feeling like you want it, you want to go get it.So looking back at small details (in the lloss), thats the little things that coaches will give us, details in practices and you try to not to let that happen ever again.ddddddddddddFor the men, a victory at the Pan Am Games, July 10-26, would put them into the Rio Olympics. Failing that, theyll have a second-chance qualifier.I think we definitely are more prepared than we were (in 2011) to do what will be required to get a gold medal at the Pan American Games, said Canadas captain Kevin Graham, who plays professionally in Hungary. So, yeah, losses are really disappointing but they can be learned from and used as motivation to get the job done the next time.The women have to travel a tougher route to win one of the eight Olympic spots through a one-shot qualifying tournament in the spring of 2016.Canadas men will play Argentina and Brazil in this weeks UANA Cup, which is the Americas qualifier for this years world championships and a test event for the Pan Am Games. The women will play only Brazil after Puerto Rico withdrew.Both both squads its a chance to get accustomed to the $78 million, 2,000-seat seat Pan Am facility just northeast of Toronto.I think its a bit of a psychological edge, Randall said of a hometown Pan Am Games. Everybody else has to travel, everything is pretty familiar to us, we have normal food that were used to, everybody speaks the same language as us, and fans are going to be cheering for us. It will be good.Canadas men finished 11th at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which was the teams first appearance at the Games in 24 years. The Canadian women were fifth at the 2000 Sydney Games, then seventh four years later in Athens. They didnt qualify for Beijing or London. ' ' '