Burke Dales
Encyclopedia
Burke Dales is a professional Canadian football
punter for the Calgary Stampeders
of the Canadian Football League
. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played CIS Football
with the Concordia Stingers
.
Dales has also been a member of the Montreal Alouettes
.
, Dales attended the Pittsburgh Steelers
2002 training camp. He also tried to make the team as a kick-off specialist. When he placekicks, he uses the straight-on style which had not been seen in the NFL since the 1980s.
's 2003 training camp and sat out the remainder of the 2003 and 2004 seasons before signing with Calgary in 2005.
.
Prior to the Stampeders' 96th Grey Cup
victory in 2008, Dales was offered a new contract to re-sign with Calgary for the 2009 CFL season
but withheld signing until seeing if he could get interest from a National Football League team.
Dales re-signed with the Stampeders on March 24, 2009, after failing to gain interest from NFL teams and a reportedly higher offer from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
would have meant losing his off-season employment.
, is a former Women's National Basketball Association
player. His cousin Jason Arnott
plays for the Washington Capitals
of the National Hockey League
.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
punter for the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played CIS Football
CIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
with the Concordia Stingers
Concordia Stingers
The Concordia Stingers are the athletic teams that represent Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They compete with other schools in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and more specifically, in the Quebec Student Sports Federation and the Quebec University Football League...
.
Dales has also been a member of the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
.
Pittsburgh Steelers
After playing at Concordia UniversityConcordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
, Dales attended the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
2002 training camp. He also tried to make the team as a kick-off specialist. When he placekicks, he uses the straight-on style which had not been seen in the NFL since the 1980s.
Montreal Alouettes
Dales attended Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
's 2003 training camp and sat out the remainder of the 2003 and 2004 seasons before signing with Calgary in 2005.
Calgary Stampeders
Dales was signed as a free agent on March 8, 2005, by the Calgary StampedersCalgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
.
Prior to the Stampeders' 96th Grey Cup
96th Grey Cup
The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
victory in 2008, Dales was offered a new contract to re-sign with Calgary for the 2009 CFL season
2009 CFL season
The 2009 CFL season was the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it was the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League. The Montreal Alouettes won the 97th Grey Cup on November 29 with a last second 28–27 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders...
but withheld signing until seeing if he could get interest from a National Football League team.
Dales re-signed with the Stampeders on March 24, 2009, after failing to gain interest from NFL teams and a reportedly higher offer from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
would have meant losing his off-season employment.
Personal life
His sister, Stacey DalesStacey Dales
Stacey Dales, is a former Canadian basketball player and a current host on the NFL Network.-Basketball:...
, is a former Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
player. His cousin Jason Arnott
Jason Arnott
Jason William Arnott is a professional ice hockey centre for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. He began his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1993–94 after being selected seventh overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team...
plays for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.