Taking a temporary break from throwing touchdowns at United Airlines Field, Trojan quarterback Caleb Williams served as Los Angeles FC’s Honorary Falconer at the neighboring BMO Stadium last Saturday night.
A “Celebration of Flight’' is hosted before each match where LAFC’s mascot, a falcon, flies around the stadium at 120 mph. According to the LAFC website, this ritual symbolizes LAFC and their playing style: “fast, aggressive and relentless.”
Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, is not the first high-profile figure to embrace the role of Honorary Falconer for LAFC. Celebrities including Meghan Trainor and Owen Wilson have participated in the pre-match ceremony, as well as LAFC Co-Owners Will Ferrell and Mia Hamm Garciaparra.
During Williams’ appearance as falconer, he handled one of three LAFC falcons, this one being named Olly. According to the LAFC website, Olly is a Shaheen falcon who is “supremely confident and loves being around people.” Olly holds the LAFC speed record at 210 mph.
The quarterback was Honorary Falconer at the cross-town rivalry game, in which LAFC was victorious, winning 4-2. Termed “El Tráfico,” the game is hosted between the LA Galaxy and LAFC, the city’s two Major League Soccer clubs based in the area.
Ken Miknuk and his son Jason are pro-falconers for LAFC. They lead the “Celebration of Flight,” but what goes into the falconer process?
“We’re out at the stadium two to three times a week to fly the birds around and they go through that game day ritual,” said Jason Miknuk. “That way they’re super consistent and stable and they know exactly what the expectations are for them.”
Guest falconers, however, do not require the same training.
“Training for the falconer is usually about 10-15 minutes before, and there’s a certain level of stoicism which makes it far more accessible,” Miknuk said. “The birds really feed off of that calmness during all the chaos.”
Ken and Jason Miknuk own California Falconry, a falconry service company which offers a variety of services ranging from falcon education and entertainment to bird abatement.
Miknuk gave Williams a ten out of ten score in bird handling, which will come in handy later this season as the Trojans take on Oregon, where Williams can hopefully handle the Ducks as well.