Luke Tasker on his off-season so far:
Luke Tasker’s ability to carefully pick apart small details is a skill used in more situations than just running routes and reading defenses.
It’s simply a part of who he is.
Tasker spent most of January on a road trip with his wife that included a stop in Florida. Obviously, an outing to Disney World was on the itinerary.
“What fascinates me the most is the history of it and the structure of the park,” said Tasker. “It’s so fascinating how attentive they are to the details there and how they get every little thing just right. The history of Disney and the movies and also the parks are pretty fascinating. There’s a big aspect of that when you go there. Almost half of Disney sometimes feels like a museum.”
Tasker on favourite part about Disney World:
It only makes sense that the two-time East Divison All-Star would be transfixed by the architecture and structure of Disney. This same attention to detail is what has made him one of the most feared and diligent receivers in the CFL since bursting onto the scene in 2013.
His ability to perfect the small aspects of the game sets him apart from others in the league.
Tasker’s 2016 campaign was cut short after he went down with an abdominal injury mid-season. The five-foot-11 receiver was well on pace for the second 1000-yard season of his career with 76 receptions for 852 yards through 12 games.
Tasker says he was hoping to play in the Eastern Final, but is unsure if he would have been ready to take the field.
“Had we won the game, maybe I would have had a little bit of adrenaline or a push to make it happen,” said Tasker. “It’s hard to say if it would have been good or not. I think it would have been my decision at that point, but I guess it was a hard call I didn’t end up having to make at all. It was still undecided, even going into that last playoff game.”
Tasker on injury update:
After the Ticats were eliminated, Taker’s focus shifted from returning for the playoffs to making a full comeback in 2017.
“I’m happy with the way it’s healed,” Tasker said about his recovery. “I was able to rest it when the season was done. For a while I was kind of rushing and trying to push and push and see if I could get back if we won that playoff game.”
Tasker returned from his January road trip last week and is now officially in preparation mode for the upcoming season.
The beginning of February roughly marks the four month period until the start of training camp. It’s a time when players buckle down and begin to seriously train for the long year ahead. While Tasker says the first few weeks will be dedicated to a lot of strengthening drills, he enjoys focusing on the small details of his game the most.
“As you go along in the offseason, it will get more and more focused towards what you do on the field,” said Tasker. “Usually it would be mid or late November when you last played. For me, it was actually late September, so I’ll probably get back into running a little bit earlier so I can get sharp again on my routes. That’s really what I enjoy the most anyways, working on my wide receiver techniques as opposed to just speed training or strength training, which we do of course as well, but what I really enjoy is working on the actual wide receiver skills on the field.”
Aside from getting ready for training camp, Tasker will continue to refurbish his home, a task he says will “truly never be finished.” It’s a project he’s been working on for the past two years. He hopes to re-do the porches and backyard fence once the winter weather fades.
If Tasker’s attention to detail throughout the renovations is comparable to the way he runs routes or makes cuts, his home is sure to look pristine.