Ryan Hunter works by day as a plumber but is out to prove his sporting future is more than just a pipe dream.

A defensive back with East Kilbride Pirates, he tried out with the Toronto Argonauts last month and is hopeful of being invited to their pre-season training camp in July and playing in the Canadian Football League.

At 24, Hunter has ambitions to eventually make the NFL and become the second Scot to play in the league, behind Lawrence Tynes, who won a Super Bowl ring with New York Giants earlier this year.

He also hankers after a chance to run the 100 metres for Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

If it all seems a bit ambitious, then Hunter has already shown he can win through when the odds are stacked against him.

He recently attended an NFL training camp in Barcelona – one of only 45 players from across Europe after 4,000 hopefuls had been looked at.

Hunter was first introduced to the game ten years ago when his uncle, who played for Falkirk Cougars, spent two years working on his technique before let him join a team.

It proved a solid grounding as, after making the grade with Glasgow Tigers’ youth team, he went on to play for Scotland Youths and then the Tigers’ senior team.

He has also won Great Britain call-ups and, all being well, will play for GB at the European Championships in Finland in 2010. But, by then, he hopes his career will have progressed somewhat.

Hunter has also played at linebacker, receiver and kick-returner and working with coach Hugh Watson, has posted a speedy 4.18 second 40-yard time, which made the Argonauts sit up and take notice.

“Physically, I measured up well in Canada,” he says, “And my stats were comparable with players over there.

“Now, I have to send them some game film of me in action and I’m hopeful I will get the chance to join the team.”

Hunter was a member of the Scottish Claymores’ development squad and was set to step up to the full team but, unfortunately, the plug was pulled on the franchise by NFL Europe. It was a serious setback for the player.

"It was always my dream to play for the Claymores. I'd been watching them from the age of 14 and watch what Scott Couper achieved and would've loved to have played in front of my friends and family,” he continues.

"I went to two NFL Europe training camps but dislocated my shoulder at the first and then hurt my hip flexor at the second so I didn't make it to the Claymores' training camps in Tampa.

"I would have been ready to go to the next one but then the Claymores folded and I missed out.

"It was a blow but I always wanted to play the game and it made me doubly determined to chase my dream, although I knew it was going to be more difficult.

 "I would love to play in the NFL one day but I know how difficult it is to get there. I'd be competing with players who were brought up playing the game through high school and college and a white guy from Scotland doesn't really fit the bill.

"But I know the NFL are keen on promoting international players and that might help me eventually get on a practice squad.

"Lawrence Tynes has shown what can be done as he was a late starter in the game and played in Canada but it is easier for a kicker."

Hunter is also looking to use his speed to get into athletics when his American football career is over but there are difficulties combining the two.

 "It's something I've looked at but that's in the future and I'd love to run the 100m for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,” he concludes.

"It's not realistic for me at this time. Although I do a lot of track work, it would be difficult to peak for a race when I'm playing football.

"You can get pretty banged up during a game with bruises and stuff and you're likely to miss a few days training."

RM
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