Well-rounded Dinos QB Buckley a star on and off the field

Andrew Buckley’s plan is to follow in not one, but two sets of footsteps.

The University of Calgary student has two doctors for parents and for as long as he can remember has wanted to be a doctor too.

“It’s always been my dream,” he said. “It’s not necessarily pressure (to become one), but influence. I’ve seen how they go to work and how they like their careers so much. It’s always been something that’s interested me.”

Buckley’s mother, Lois Torfason, is a general practitioner at the University of Calgary Wellness Centre. His dad, Rick Buckley, is an orthopedic surgeon at Foothills Medical Centre and is the director of Continuing Medical Education at the university.

Andrew Buckley is a third-year kinesiology student who is mostly known around campus these days as being the starting quarterback for the Dinos football team.

The Dinos are in Quebec City to play for the Canadian Interuniversity Sports title and the right to hoist the coveted Vanier Cup aloft. The game is Saturday.  

After the game, the MCATs and medical school

When the Vanier Cup fun is over, Buckley will buckle down even more to prepare to write his Medical College Admission Test (aka MCATs) this summer and then will apply to medical school the following year to proceed with his career plan.

“There’s a huge time commitment that goes with being a doctor, even with medical school,” said Buckley, who has maintained a 3.93 grade-point-average at the University of Calgary and is a two-time Academic All-Canadian.

“With my dad, for example, he’s gone from the house from 6 a.m. to seven or eight at night.”

The proud parents were planning to travel to Quebec City to watch events unfold. “Andrew has always been the kind of kid who has excelled at everything he does,” Rick Buckley said during a brief interview this week that took place at 6:30 a.m.

“He’s an understated young man who’s not boisterous and just quietly goes about his business. He’s always done well, right through middle school and high school both academically and in sports.

“He’s made us so proud.”

Among Andrew’s off-field accomplishments include working as a volunteer for numerous organizations such as Alberta Health Services, for whom he visits two men who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease each week to provide them with an opportunity to socialize. He’s also organized outings for underprivileged kids and has been busy with several research projects in the Faculty of Kinesiology's Markin undergraduate student research program. 

“He works hard,” said his mom. “He doesn’t coast. He practices until nine o’clock and then comes home and hits the books until midnight; until he can’t stay awake.”

Buckley Sr. played for the Dinos

Buckley has also followed in his father’s footsteps athletically as well. Rick Buckley played tight end for the Dinos in the late '70s.

Buckley the younger was thrown into the fire in the opening game of the season when starting QB Eric Dzwilewski went down with an injury that turned out to be season ending. The Dinos didn’t skip a beat with the new guy and went undefeated through the Canada West schedule and demolished the University of Western Ontario Mustangs 44-3 in the Mitchell Bowl at McMahon Stadium on Nov. 16 to earn the berth in the national final.

“He has all the tools,” Dinos head coach Blake Nill said.

“He has the ability to suceeed, but he’s never had to face the job description of being a starting quarterback here. His transition from backup to starter has been remarkable.”

Along with his 3.93 GPA, Buckley’s other impressive statistic was the 2,184 yards passing he accumulated, leading an offence that relies predominantly on the ground game.    

“The team has really rallied around me and we’ve been able to accomplish pretty great things so far,” said the Canada West all-star.

“The attitude on this team is so much different than anything I’ve been around. It truly is just like a family, a bunch of kids having fun together.”