March 20, 2012
Edmonton Eskimos
ESKS.com Staff
(Edmonton) Several Eskimo players were out in Leduc this past weekend as guest coaches for the Leduc Minor Football Winter Camp.
The Winter Camp has been put on by the Leduc and District Minor Football Association (LDMFA) for the past three years. The sessions, broken down into three categories, are aimed at teaching and strengthening football fundamentals to minor league players. Guest coaches from the CFL, University and Junior levels help out with the camps each year, along with volunteer members from the LDMFA.
The camps attract players from all over the Edmonton region and even have campers from as far away as Texas. Coach Mike Taylor says having the Eskimos out to lead these young athletes is invaluable. Taylor and Gerald Thomas, both head coaches within the LDMFA, help organize the winter camps. 
“The training and skill development they received will be a major help for Leduc and all athletes who attended. The greatest part about having the Eskimos out is it shows these gridiron gladiators truly care and appreciate young football players at the grass root level.”
This past weekend Eskimo RB Calvin McCarty, DB Corbin Sharun, OL Gord Hinse and OL Dale Stevenson helped out with the Running Camp, which was held March 16-18 at Leduc Composite High School. Over 100 kids participated in the camp where they learned the basics of run blocking for the linemen, handoff skills for the quarterbacks and running skills for the running backs and receivers.
Next weekend more Esks will head out to Leduc to help with the Defense Camp, which takes place March 23-25. K Grant Shaw, DL Étienne Légaré and former middle linebacker Willie Pless will help teach tackling skills, defensive back skills, linebacker skills and defensive line skills.
The passing camp portion of the Winter Camp was held weekly from February 1 – March 7 and was hosted by the University of Alberta. Kids who attended the camp learned pass blocking for linemen, snapping for centers, quarterback passing skills and receiver and running back skills and blocking.
Getting to interact with Edmonton natives who have become pro football players has a great impact on young players, showing them that it is possible to reach their dream of one day playing in the CFL.
“Home-grown talent, like Leduc’s own Corbin Sharun, coming out is very important to our young athletes,” says Taylor. “It shows that small town kids have a place in our great Canadian game. U of A grads Gord Hinse and Dale Stevenson were able to teach players line play that showed great dividends by camp’s end and Calvin McCarty did a great job working with the running backs. Players were able to leave the camps with many new skills and strengthen their already developed talent. And the Eskimos brought a level of mentorship that will help the athletes off the field as well.”