Lirim Hajrullahu, the soft-spoken, easy-going kicker for the Western Mustangs football team has ice in his veins. He was put in a situation many dream of but few have been apart of. In Ottawa, in November 2010, the whole country caught a glimpse of the composure this individual has. With thirty-four yards to go and no time left on the clock, there was no room for error. Make the kick and Western wins their 29th title; miss it and have a long off-season of what ifs. Hajrullahu lined up and stroked it through to make the biggest kick of his life. Not many could have made that play, but he came through in the clutch.
Pressure is a funny thing. A lot of athletes excel in practice and perform less than they hoped come game time. Others on the other hand, rise to the occasion. When the stage is bigger, talents can be exhibited. You can either fold, or perform under pressure. This third-year kinesiology student is one who excels when the pressure is enormous. That field goal will be forever in Western lore alongside Hajrullahu’s name.
Despite the knack for making big kicks like a person who has been around the game all his life, Hajrullahu is fairly new to the sport. He was born in Kosovo and spent some of his childhood there. He grew up watching and loving the other ‘football’, not the one on the gridiron. He spent his young years watching Real Madrid and Manchester United, not the Dallas Cowboys or the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. It was not until his sophomore year in high school that he found the affinity for the North American brand of football. His coach, D’Arcy McArdle at Governor Simcoe High School in St. Catharines, would not stop asking him to play. From there he was very keen on the idea of having a lot of practice time to perfect his game and his career took off.
Hajrullahu chose Western upon overtures from other OUA and CIS schools. Despite entering his third year, he has not only tied a CIS record for field goals in a game with six, he has also had the privilege of representing Canada twice on the world stage. This past summer he was the kicker on the silver medal winning senior men’s National team.
The 2011 season for the whole Mustang squad is one of high expectations and look for Hajrullahu to continue doing his part on special teams. He is very fond is his Western experience and emphatically states he is happy he decided to become a Mustang. As for his goals, he prefers to “approach each game one by one, and not look to far forward.” He adds, “Just as every football player in Canada does, we all want to lift the Vanier at the end of the season. It is never an easy road but I strongly believe we have the players and coaches to hoist the Vanier Cup.”
It is not surprising with Hajrullahu’s work ethic and team mentality that he is popular among his teammates. The 2011 season for him and the rest of the Mustangs will echo the team-first mentality where offense, defense and Hajrullahu on special teams will help the Mustangs on their quest towards the Vanier Cup.
