This is part one in a five-part series of articles from the True North Wellness Football Camp in Ouje-Bougoumou, Que.  Members of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats spent the bye week in this Northern Quebec community to help empower native children through sport.  Stay tuned for more updates from Ouje-Bougoumou.

Justin Boone
Special to CFL.ca

If Geoff Tisdale’s friends are looking for him this week, they won’t be able to find him.

Sure it’s a bye week, but he isn’t back home with his family or on vacation somewhere tropical, and if you check his place in Hamilton you’ll only discover a growing stack of mail.

So where in the world is Geoff Tisdale?

“Coming from California, I’ve never been anywhere like this before,” joked the Ticats defensive back.

While on the phone with one of his friends back home he tried to explain his current situation, before he realized he wasn’t quite sure himself.

“I was trying my best, but I don’t think they believed me when I told them I was taking a trip to the woods,” he explained. “It’s really nice up here, and it’s something that I know none of them have ever seen before. But after growing up in the city I don’t think they can believe that I’m out here.”

For the first couple days he and his teammates Nick Kordic and J.P. Bekasiak didn’t even know how to pronounce the name of the community. You can take a shot if you like, Ouje-Bougoumou.

Located in Northern Quebec, the Cree community is the site of this year’s True North Wellness Football Camp, one of a series of weeklong programs intended to empower native children through sports. The three Ticats joined their offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille, who has taken an active role as the camp’s head coach.

“This is my second year, but I don’t think you ever really know what you’re getting into,” said Bellefeuille. “You have an idea, but once you get up here and actually get involved with the communities, you get a better perspective on the lifestyle, the needs and the difference you can make.”

That’s exactly the reaction Tisdale, a rookie among the guest coaches, had during the week.

“It took me awhile to realize where I was. It’s like something I would see on TV when I’m sitting at home on my couch, so it was a real culture shock to me. Absolutely shocking with a capital A, but the kids are real energetic and they like to run around like me, so I’m having a great time. They have a lot out here and they’re giving a lot, so there are plenty of positives for them to take away from this week.”

Justin Boone is the staff writer for Ticats.ca and the media coordinator for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club.