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There was only one way Michael Klukas was going to get over the discouragement of not being drafted by a Canadian Football League team last May.

That was to put together a season that would not go unnoticed.

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And it did not.

Klukas, who just completed his fifth year with the University of Calgary Dinos football program, signed with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders on Thursday, having a lifelong aspiration come to fruition.

“Dreams come true … to be able to stay in my home town, (it’s) a team I’ve watched for as long as I can remember,” said the speedy receiver, a graduate of St. Mary’s High School who is finishing up his history degree at the U of C.

“At the time (of the draft), it was disappointing, but I had a great support team around me — friends, family, coaches, teammates … I had some health issues leading up to the combine. I had great conversations with coaches like Coach (Ryan) Sheahan (the Dinos offensive coordinator), and I knew that he believed in me, and I believed in myself, and I was excited to come back to the University of Calgary for my fifth year. I never stopped believing that I would get a chance to play professional, and I just wanted to work as hard as I could to get this opportunity.”