Shawn Gore, in 2005, helped his Newtonbrook Secondary School team reach the Tier II city football finals, and last Thursday, August, 26, he helped the Green Bay Packers defeat the Indianapolis Colts 59-24 in preseason NFL football.
The Don Mills receiver contributed an 18-yard reception.On Saturday, August 28, however, his improbable NFL career came to an end - at least temporarily - after being a late training camp cut.His NFL stats: three exhibition games, and two receptions (he caught a five-yard pass in Green Bay's opening game, a 27-24 loss to Cleveland).But he does have a fall-back if no other NFL team shows interest.He was actually the top Toronto native taken in this past spring's Canadian Football League (CFL) college draft, selected 10th by the B.C. Lions. And he would have likely went a lot higher had he not decided to give the NFL a shot.His rise to the NFL was noteworthy in itself.After all, he didn't even play high school football until his final year at Newtonbrook. Prior to that he attended Don Mills Collegiate - which didn't have a gridiron team - so he played varsity rugby and basketball.He did play summer club football for the North York-based Metro Toronto Wildcats of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL).After a stellar collegiate career with Bishops Gaiters, Gore ended up signed to a free agent contract with the Packers after impressing at a Packers tryout camp the team held for undrafted and unsigned players in the spring.