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Given the arduous journey and the amount of hard work it’s taken to get to this point, you can understand why Jeff Hecht wasn’t spending an inordinate amount of time patting himself on the back.

But as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers stepped back on the field for the first full practice after training camp cuts, it was worth noting that Hecht was working at safety with the No. 1 defence.

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When you’ve been a special-teams ace and backup for the bulk of a nine-year career and have 114 CFL games on your resume, premature celebration simply isn’t an option.

Not even when it appears Hecht will be a Week 1 starter.

“That’s what it looks like and it feels good. I’ve worked my (butt) off for as long as I can remember in life, that’s just what I do,” said Hecht. “It feels to get an opportunity and in the eyes of the coaches, took advantage of this opportunity. They’re confident enough to roll into today’s practice with me in there. Today, I’m the starter but tomorrow it could be Derek (Jones). He’s a great football player and is a high IQ guy, very athletic and is a difference-maker on the field as well.