Eskimo catches faith and runs with it Edmonton Eskimo Kez McCorvey has been from rags to riches and back again but through it all he knows God is on his side. by Heather Carroll     Beware! If you cringe at the thought of bones crunching or squirm at the idea of grown men colliding midair with enough force to tear ligaments, don’t read any further. It’s a component of the game called football.   When you buy your tickets to watch the Edmonton Eskimos play, you’ll witness a lot more than two teams vying for the ball. Unfortunately, athletes who fight to win often lose in the process.   “Football is a dangerous sport,” summarizes Kez McCorvey, wide receiver for the Eskimos.   McCorvey knows how hazardous the sport can be. His is a rags to riches, return to rags, then back up to riches again story.   Born January 23, 1972 in Mississippi, McCorvey grew up with three siblings in a poor environment, without a father, and with his mother on welfare. His most valuable asset was his God-given talent for athletics.   Excelling in every sport he played, McCorvey took a special liking to baseball, dreaming of playing in the majors. Ironically, it was football, not baseball, that delivered him from his small town to the bright lights of the stadium.   In 1991, during his senior year in high school, McCorvey was offered a scholarship with Florida State, one of the top college football schools in the U.S. After four years there, he earned a degree in sociology and was named to the prestigious All-American team.   The Detroit Lions chose McCorvey in the fifth round of the 1995 college draft. During the ‘96 season, McCorvey suffered a severe foot injury. Even though he went on to play one more season with the Lions, he was plagued with repetitive problems from the injury and was eventually sent home in September 1998.   “It was the lowest point of my career,” recalls McCorvey. “I found a job as a clerk. It was hard to go from making a lot of money to seven dollars an hour.   “I went home to my wife and prayed. I felt God telling me I had to be humble, I had to accept this job.”   Prior to his foot injury McCorvey was anything but humble. He ate, slept and worshipped football. He was good, and worse, he knew it.   “Before the injury (in 1996) football was my god,” says McCorvey. “I believed football gave me everything. Then I was injured and football suddenly wasn’t so great. I started searching for what really mattered.”   So began McCorvey’s spiritual journey. Fellow teammate and Christian, Glyn Milburn, currently a running back with the Chicago Bears, invited McCorvey to a Bible discussion group.   “I started reading my Bible and going to the Bible study group,” continues McCorvey. “One night I listened to a guy speak. His story was the same as mine. Jesus spoke to my heart and I accepted Him as my Saviour.”   From that defining moment, McCorvey placed God, football and his talent in proper perspective. Along with his newfound faith, McCorvey also found healing for an old injury, this one unrelated to football — the loss of his second child. In 1996, prior to him becoming a Christian, his wife Lorris Ann had a miscarriage during the eighth month of her pregnancy.   “It was a painful time,” says McCorvey. “I was angry. I had a lot of questions and nowhere to get any answers. It took a while to forget.”   Forgetting about the loss only worked for so long; he knew he’d have to deal with it eventually and when the time came he was ready. Armed with a peace that only God could provide, McCorvey finally began to uncover the hurt he’d buried, and God was able to mend the wounds. Looking back, McCorvey sees how God used the painful loss to draw him to Himself.   “God used my child dying to soften my heart towards Him. The situation shocked me into questioning what I believed in,” says McCorvey softly. “Life can be harsh, but God can turn it around to be something good. God is so awesome!”   With his spiritual life on track, McCorvey set out on a new professional one. Not ready to give up on football, in 1998 he coached high school football in Tallahassee, Florida. A year later he was assigned by the NFL’s Carolina Panthers to play for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europe.   The new millennium brought a new start for McCorvey, signing as a free agent with the Eskimos. Last year’s coach, Don Matthews, spoke glowingly about him, calling McCorvey the “greatest inside route-runner I’ve ever seen.” McCorvey had a stellar year, catching 73 passes.   Unfortunately, the agility and quickness that makes McCorvey excel also makes him a prime target of opposition defenses. Recently, he was forced out for the year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. It’s a serious injury that will require surgery to repair and may put his career in jeopardy.   But injury upon injury, hardship upon hardship can’t cause his faith in God to waiver.   “I’m not afraid to take on hardship in my life. I don’t want it, but I’m not afraid. God has always taken care of me. I know the path of my life is already laid by Him.”   [LLN-Online] [Adopt-a-Block] [Newsbriefs][Event Calendar] [Lifestyles] [Juke Box] [Cover to Cover] [Movieguide][Casting the Net] [Viewpoints] [General Info] [Rates & Sizes][Marketplace/Classifieds] [Volunteer Ops] [Writing Guidelines] [Contact Us] [Subscribe][Archives][Good News] [About Us][Links]