The Eskimos may be on a bye week, but that doesn’t mean all of their players get completely away from football.
Several players have been volunteering their time at the Eskimos’ annual amateur football camp for 100 atom (nine- and 10-year-old) and pee wee (11- and 12-year-old) players from the greater Edmonton area at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
Injured receiver Joshua Stangby, who played with the Ottawa RedBlacks in 2016 and ’17, signed up for all three 90-minute sessions from Tuesday through Thursday while offensive linemen Colin Kelly, Matt O’Donnell and rookie Kyle Saxelid, receiver Ricky Collins, Jr., defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng and running back Shaq Cooper all took turns helping to teach the fundamentals of football in a controlled-contact environment.
“We like to split it up,” said Eskimos Community Relations Coordinator Andrew Jones. “They like coaching, so we try to get as many guys in there to help out as possible. Luckily, we have a lot of guys who are willing to do stuff like this. And it’s the bye week, so they have time.”
The University of Alberta Golden Bears plus Edmonton’s two junior football teams – the Wildcats and Huskies – also provided players to help run skills stations and assist the young athletes in mini-games under the direction of Huskies Linebacker Coach Branden Modin.
“It’s free for the kids,” Jones said. “They just have to bring their own equipment.”
The helmets and shoulder pads are usually borrowed from the players’ minor football teams or league.
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