[2][3] Previously, he played four seasons for the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, winning the 80th Grey Cup in 1992.

[4] He played college football for the Washington Huskies after attending high school near Vancouver.

His father was an agricultural engineer and the family moved frequently; Hasselbach grew up in the Netherlands, Indonesia, Kenya, and Canada.

[7][2] During his youth he practiced various sports, ranging from cricket, field hockey, to swimming and soccer.

At Calgary, defensive line coach Tom Higgins helped mold his talent before he engaged in a 14-team bidding war for his services, deciding to sign with the Denver Broncos.

[2] He was a defensive line coach at Regis Jesuit High School at the time of his death.