Monday, June 1, 2026

Gridiron Lessons

From the football field to the job site, Michael Malott applies a team-first approach to supporting members

By Cathy Miehm

When Michael Malott picked up a football at the University of Waterloo (UW) in 1992, he had no idea the sport would shape the rest of his life—not only as an athlete, but later as a CLAC representative helping workers navigate tough jobs, tough systems, and sometimes tough personal circumstances.

Born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Michael’s path to Waterloo ran through Acadia University in Nova Scotia, where he spent two years studying physical education and making a name for himself on the field. But academics—and life—pulled him back to Ontario.

“I really didn’t like the program,” he says. “And my mom wasn’t doing the greatest, so I came back closer to home.”

He transferred to Waterloo, switching to a sociology major and suiting up for the school’s football team, the Warriors, as a running back. At the same time, he ran competitively with UW’s track and field team.

The move turned out to be career defining: he emerged as one of the most decorated football players in Warriors’ history. During his three years at UW, he was twice named team MVP. He also earned both provincial and national recognition.

“I was a three-time OUA [Ontario University Athletics] first team all star each year,” recalls Michael. In 1993, he climbed even higher. “I was named All Canadian; there are only two running backs named across the country each year. It holds a lot of status.”

It was no surprise then when the CFL came calling. Drafted by the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1994, Michael spent two seasons with the team before heading to France to play in Division One for the Chevaliers d’Orléans.

“I lived in Orléans for three years,” he says.

It was a memorable stint. That is until his knees decided it was time to move on. When he returned to Canada, football had left him with not just a resumé, but a mindset that would ultimately become central to his second career.

Back home, Michael leveraged his sociology degree into work with secure and open custody facilities in Hamilton, Ontario.

“I worked with secure young offenders,” he says.

But life changed quickly. His then-wife was diagnosed with a health issue that forced her to quit work. With a family to look after, Michael needed to pivot quickly.
“I had to jump ship and do something that was more financially viable,” he explains.

So, he stepped into the trades, signing on as a labourer with an employer whose employees were represented by the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), headquartered in Washington, DC.

“I didn’t actually start learning my lessons about LIUNA until I came to CLAC,” says Michael. “This was the first union I worked with, so I didn’t know what was normal.”

Based on his experience at the time, he accepted that a relatively high dues structure and infrequent interaction with union representatives were the norm. When he joined a CLAC-represented employer, Schilthuis Construction Inc., one of CLAC’s oldest signatory employers, the contrast was stark. He saw differences in pension structures, dues, and the overall culture.

Acknowledging that experiences can vary between workplaces and locals, Michael’s experience was that “LIUNA was very bold, very aggressive, very adversarial,” he says. “With CLAC, I experienced a more member-focused approach. I felt that they were more accessible and responsive to members.”

Michael was with his CLAC employer very briefly before being tapped on the shoulder.

“It was like a month, or less,” he says.

Darren Schutten, now CLAC’s regional director in Grimsby, and other representatives saw potential in him—something grounded in his communication style and his ability to connect with people. He was hired as a CLAC representative in March 2022.

The more he got to know CLAC, the more he saw the differences compared to his earlier experience with LIUNA, such as what he viewed as less comprehensive short term disability benefits in his previous role. His knowledge of both unions has been useful when LIUNA tries to raid a CLAC-represented workplace.

“I’ll pull out one of my old LIUNA pay stubs,” says Michael, adding that, in his experience, the difference in dues, pension and benefits can be significant. “The workers see the differences pretty quickly.”

It's impossible to talk to Michael about his work without hearing the echoes of football. To him, the connection is obvious.

Football, he explains, is the ultimate team sport.

“Basketball is 12 guys; hockey is 20 guys,” he explains. “At any given time, the roster of players on a football team is like 90 guys.”

Handling that many personalities, all striving toward a shared goal, teaches skills few other environments can.

“You have to find your way to navigate through all these different personalities, with the common goal of success for the team, to create an environment that’s positive and nurturing with equality and respect,” he says.

As a CLAC representative, Michael sees his work through that same lens.

“My team on the field translated over to trying to create a better labour relations environment for our members,” he says.

He also applies his team-first mentality to broader initiatives, such as the growing presence of women in the skilled trades.

“I’m a big advocate,” he says. “Twenty-five years ago, that wasn’t even a topic.”

Today, he takes pride in having helped bring several women into CLAC’s Supervisor Micro Certification Program. With skilled labour shortages growing, he knows these efforts are crucial.

“It’s one of the ways we’re going to build ourselves out of it,” says Michael.

This spring, the University of Waterloo came calling again, this time with a major honour in store. Michael will be inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony during Homecoming Week in September. This comes eight years after he was inducted into the Waterloo Warriors’ Ring of Honour for his football legacy.

For Michael, the recognition is a culmination of a lifetime of discipline, drive, and teamwork—traits he carries with him today into every work site he visits and every member he talks with.

Legends of the CFL Backfield

The CFL has seen its share of dominant running backs, players who combined speed, vision, and durability to define eras of Canadian football. Mike Pringle, who played from 1992 to 2004 primarily with the Montreal Alouettes, remains the league’s all-time rushing leader with 16,425 yards and 93 touchdowns. Remarkably, he never won a Grey Cup.

George Reed anchored the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1963 to 1975, piling up 13,345 rushing yards and 134 touchdowns while leading the team to a Grey Cup in 1966. Normie Kwong, a Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos standout from 1948 to 1960, was one of the game’s early stars, finishing with more than 9,000 rushing yards and four Grey Cup championships.

Jon Cornish (Calgary Stampeders, 2007–2015) became one of the greatest Canadian-born players in league history, rushing for 7,986 yards and winning the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award in 2013.

Then there’s Michael “Pinball” Clemons, who redefined what a back could be. With the Toronto Argonauts from 1989 to 2000, he rushed for 9,157 yards, added more than 3,300 receiving yards, and amassed over 25,000 all-purpose yards thanks to his electrifying return ability. A Grey Cup champion three times over and the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 1990, Clemons proved that impact isn’t just about carrying the ball. It’s about changing the game whenever it’s in your hands.

Together, these players didn’t just put up numbers. They set the standard for excellence in the CFL backfield, shaping the league across generations.

Michael was inducted into the Waterloo Warriors’ Ring of Honour in 2018. Pictured are coach Chris Bertoia, and Michael Malott

Gridiron Lessons

Legends of the CFL Backfield

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