SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT: Cyrus Kalwarf
The huddle breaks and eleven men turn and trot to their positions. Each one of them know if one were to fail, it is likely the entire plan will fail. The Quarterback begins his cadence. Knuckles whiten, muscles tense, and breathing slows. “Hut” is called and the ball is snapped. He takes a step back and places the ball into the gut of his Running Back who is ready to hit the gap and have his shoulder meet the Linebacker’s chest and he smiles as he hits the whole.
Cyrus Kalkwarf lives for those moments and it is because of his efforts and leadership, he has been selected to be the focus of this week’s Sunday Spotlight.
”Cyrus brings a dual threat to the Running Back position,” says Pioneer Running Back Coach, Aaron Terryl-Byrd. “He can run, catch, and make people miss.” As of this writing, Kalkwarf is the Pioneers’ leading rusher. He is always ready to do what it takes to get that extra yard.
”Cy is a guy who came in with a lot of talent but really sure how to use it,” Quarterback Matthew Sickler says of Kalkwarf. “He has developed into an all aroound back. Cy is what Pioneer football is all about.”
Linebacker Coach Fred Rashaw grew close to Kalkwarf during the preseason and season. When asked about Kalkwarf, Coach Rashaw did not hold back. “[Cyrus] went from being a special team player and barely touching the field last year [on the Minnesota Rise], to being RB1 [of the Pioneers]. He told me he was going to do it. He put in the work and is reaping the benefits of it right now,” Rashaw states. “Off the field, he’s a great young man and a proud new father. I’m very proud of him.”
Kalkwarf has obviously had an impact on his coaches and teammates. He works to get his teammates involved in everything they can. He’s gone out of his way to seek out extra workouts in his private time with Pioneer Receiver Coach J. Alfred Potter. Kalkwarf loves being a a Pioneer. “Being a Pioneer has has impacted my life so much that i wake up hungry for football and go to sleep dreaming of my next move.”
A few seasons ago, Cyrus Kalkwarf once wore the Cardinal and Black of the Pioneers. He came back this season and has made an impact. “I came back because it’s the only place that I felt like home.” Kalkwarf tells us his brother once played for the Pioneers. “They took me in like a little brother and it was stupid of me to switch up on that,” he says. “But I got a second chance and I am forever grateful for that.”
Earlier this season, he and girlfriend welcomed their first child to the world. Kalkwarf has committed to returning to the Pioneers for the 2024 season and we cannot be more excited to see him on the field and his family in the stands.
The Sunday Spotlight is a weekly publication that highlights a different member of the St. Paul Pioneers. During the season, it will focus on players on the team.