The longest-serving member of Manitoba's offence, fifth-year receiver AK Gassama's voice carries serious weight in the locker room. He's been described by head coach Brian Dobie as "as good a leader as this program has ever had."
 
Gassama can talk the talk, with the unwavering support of his coach and teammates, because he's walked the walk.
 
The most recent of the 64 players Manitoba's had drafted since Dobie became head coach in 1996, Gassama participated in his first pro camp this past summer with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
 
Statistically, Gassama – one of the fastest players at his position in the country – is just 804 regular season receiving yards away from first all-time (Mike Faisthuber, 2092), just 712 yards from becoming only the fourth player to record 2000 career regular season receiving yards (Faisthuber, Terry Fach, Terry Firr), and only 52 regular season catches away from first all-time (Firr, 152).
 
Gassama's also a back-to-back All-Canadian, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in two straight seasons since Shae Weekes from 2018-19.
 
"I'd be lying to you if I said I hadn't seen the posts about the records. But it's not my main focus to break those. If that's part of my success to break those, I would be honoured. I'm going to work to be the best version of myself that I can. The stats will come naturally," said the humble play maker, whose roots can be traced to Sierra Leone.
 
"To be recognized with people like that, I'm honoured, because I saw them lay down the foundation. It's respect to the OGs that did it before I could. I don't even think I'm the best to wear number one. [CFL Draft pick, Grey Cup champ] Anthony Coombs repped that number. I still remember what he did in that jersey. It's passed down."
 
Gassama is true to himself in every way. He's as genuine a person as you'll ever meet, and any time you're around him, you learn something new about life, and perspective. It's reflected in many ways, one is how he treats others.
 
A textbook example comes early in the morning a day prior to Manitoba departing for their pre-season tilt with Regina.
 
As Gassama sits down outside the Bisons' locker room for an interview about his career, and the upcoming season, four members of the Bombers' defence walk past, about to take a right-hand turn to enter Bomber land.
 
Gassama daps up all four players, asking each how they're doing. All four Bombers show the same energy back, clearly happy to see the receiver.  
 
"Those were DBs and linebackers. I remember all of them. When I was in that locker room, I was able to build real relationships with a lot of guys," noted Gassama.
 
"I have a good relationship with obviously [Bisons alum] Nic Demski prior to that, Kenny Lawler, Drew Wolitarsky, Chris Streveler. I still message Strev. We talk about music. He sent me the Larry June playlist yesterday, I sent him Benny the Butcher. These guys, no matter where I'm at, I still consider them family. I hope that next year I get an opportunity to go back and really be a part of that team. I love that organization."


 
'Every rep counts to me'
With all that said, it's easy to see the impact a player like Gassama brings to any team.
 
Offensively, his long-term connection with quarterback Jackson Tachinski, along with his speed and overall football IQ, fresh off a pro camp, will be hard to match.
 
He's one of four starting receivers back from last year, with 11 of 12 of the starting O back overall. The standard set by Gassama and other veterans like Vaughan Lloyd, Michael O'Shea and De Shawn Le Jour– on every rep – has been matched all across the board by team that can match any squad in the country on the score board.
 
"[In the CFL], you have to be able to read defences at every position. As a receiver, you have read routes every time. You're not just going to be running a corner. Every step matters, every inch matters, pushing to your route depth and knowing when to use certain moves. If I'm the second, third or fourth read, I know how to work my route a little differently," Gassama noted.  
 
"When I play receiver, every rep counts to me. I was talking to some of the younger receivers yesterday saying when I go against a DB, I'm not taking a rep off. Every rep I'm coming, and I'm going to get some sort of data from you. I'm watching how you like to line up, what depth are you at when I'm releasing, what hand do you punch with? When I'm able to understand football at that level, I can slow down the game."
 
Gassama's accomplishments have come, because of how hard he's worked.  
 
His story is one of resilience and dedication, and that's exactly what he told CFL scouts from across the league during the interview portion of the CFL combine earlier this year.
 
Gassama's roots can be traced to Sierra Leone, a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. Growing up, he and his family endured a devastating civil war which lasted from 1991-2002, enveloping the country while leaving roughly 50,000 civilians dead.

"Everything that I do know is from the memories that my mom has been telling us," Gassama noted of his early years.

"For her, especially when she had me and she had my brothers, we were going village to village just kind of running away from the war that was going on. Rebels were coming in and they were attacking the villages, so for us we were always on the move."

Thankfully, when Gassama was four years old he and his family were able to move to Canada as refugees. He's grateful every day for the life he's living but doesn't forget about his past.

"I always say it's a blessing to be here at the end of it. It was devastating. Sierra Leone, now we're in a better place, it's a lot more stable and isn't how it was before, but knowing where I come from, it's not too hard to look for incentive in life."

AK's Father Amara (which means leader) and mother Hawa (which means Eve in Arabic) worked a combined four jobs in order to provide for him and his three siblings (two older brothers and one younger sister).
 
It wasn't always easy, but the family endured. When times got tough, they stuck together and continued to press on.
 
"When we were growing up, it was about being there for each other. My siblings and I, we're super close but we're far in age. My oldest brother is 11 years older than me and my other brother is nine years older than me. Not only were they older siblings but they were almost like second parents."
 
Gassama grew up in the inner city of Winnipeg. Many people he knew as a kid are no longer around. He thinks about his past often, and in those times, he's brought back to sport. Along with his family, athletics helped ground him, providing motivation and purpose.  

It started with his oldest brother taking him to basketball practice at six in the morning. He would shoot around and work on his speed and explosiveness. His quick burst and overall athleticism quickly translated to the football field, where he found his true calling, and a community that became like family.
 
"When you grow up in the inner city and you grow up in public housing, there's so much going on and you never really know what stable conditions may look like. After school I'd go to football practice and after football I'd go to basketball practice," he recalled.
 
"A lot of those people became my best friends. After school my parents were working. That was a lot of my life. There was never one time where I was like I'm going to go home and chill today. I was always doing something. The football community embraced me so much."
 
 
'Coach BA is one of the reasons I came here'
Never the biggest player at his position, Gassama simply did the work required to excel in his role.
 
In 2015 as a two-way player, he helped Vincent Massey make history, with the Trojans claiming first-ever ANAVETS Bowl that year.
 
"One of the reasons he escalated as a football player is certainly who he is, not what he is. He was 'too small.' He never let too small get in his way. He did the things to make himself un-small," exclaimed Dobie.
 
"I feel he's relentless at everything that he pursues, whether it's leadership, on the football field, his friendships. He is true to himself and true to others. He's a guy that's been getting what he deserves."

The turning point in Gassama's football career came when he met Recruit Ready (RR) co-founders and Bisons alums Brad Black and Blair Atkinson. 

The RR program has helped produce countless pro, U SPORTS and NCAA athletes, providing an outlet, opportunity and elite-level training for many to achieve their dreams.
 
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Brady Oliveira and Nic Demski, both Grey Cup champs and former Oak Park Raiders, were two of the earliest members of RR, and many continue to train with the program because of the familial atmosphere and credibility that it brings.
 
"I played varsity in my second year of high school football. I was able to be successful as the youngest guy in the league at that time. From that I was able to get approached by coach BA and coach Brad Black who told me they saw potential in me and wanted to help foster that," said Gassama.
 
"Not in the sense of trying to get something out of me but to really believe in me."
 
In a full-circle moment, Atkinson is back on staff this season, alongside fellow Bisons alum Macho Bockru as receivers coaches.
 
Atkinson's 1143 career receiving yards from 2003-05 are the second-most over a three-year span in school history, and he's one of just ten players to record double-digit receiving touchdowns as a Bison.
 
He also led the team in receiving and touchdowns in 2004 and 2005, and he was on the coaching staff when Manitoba won the Vanier Cup in 2007.
 
"Coach BA is one of the reasons that I came here. He coached me, I've coached with him, I've worked with coach BA, we have such a good relationship. When I first came here he was the one who brought me on my visit. Having him back is so huge. Coach BA has coached and been around this program for over 16 years, a lot of people don't know that. He was a Bison, he played for the Bombers, and he's coached for a long time," added Gassama passionately.
 
"He understands this offence and what our goal is. When you get him in the locker room you get a lot of wisdom, a lot of experience. He allows us to understand things in a conceptual way along with bringing techniques to help us be successful. Having him here is so big. He knows me so well and he knows how I approach the craft, and I know how he approaches his craft. Having him here, it's special, especially in my last year."
 
Manitoba opens the regular season at home on August 31 at 2 pm.