St. FX running back inspired by his football-playing grandfather

On Nov 4, 2021

Like grandfather, like grandson.

St. Francis Xavier rookie running back Malcolm Bussey has a lot in common with his grandfather.

Fifty-eight years ago, his grandfather, the late Ken Bussey, was a star rookie running back for the ’63 X-Men team that never lost a game and was later inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

“Whenever I score a touchdown in a game, I point to the sky because I know he’s watching over me,” said Malcolm Bussey, who is having an outstanding freshman season with the unbeaten X-Men, all while wearing No. 27 in honour of his grandfather.

The 19-year-old is one of the big reasons why the team has won all five of their games.

Ken Bussey, wearing No. 27, breaks a tackle on his way to scoring the winning touchdown for St. FX in the 1963 Atlantic Bowl played at the Wanderers Grounds in Halifax. (Submitted by the Bussey family)

Bussey moved away from his home in Hammonds Plains to begin Grade 9 at a school in New Hampshire. One year later, he enrolled at St. Paul’s School, another prep school in the same state.

Though he ran on the school’s track team and played hockey, it was on the football field where he truly excelled. In 2019, Bussey was named the Gatorade New Hampshire football player of the year.

Choosing St. FX

Not playing football last year due to COVID-19 was tough for Bussey, who received several offers to play college football for U.S. schools. But instead of pursuing his football career south of the border, he opted to play at St. FX in Antigonish, N.S., and follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.

He was a big recruit for the team’s coaching staff.

“He had schools who were recruiting him and made offers to him, but he and his family went through the whole process and just thought being back in Canada was the right move,” said St. FX head coach Gary Waterman, now in his 13th season with the team.

“The fact that his grandfather played here certainly didn’t hurt and it just all came together, which was great for us here at X.”

Bussey is currently second in AUS rushing, and in his last game, rushed for 162 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 59-yard score.

The family’s athletic prowess runs deeper than just Bussey and his grandfather.

Bussey’s dad, Cal, also attended St. Paul’s School and went on to play three seasons of hockey at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. His younger sister, Georgia, currently attends St. Paul’s and plays hockey, soccer and runs on the school track team.