A Training Camp Survival Guide

Training camps are upon us and it’s making us extra happy at CFL HQ because that means football is BACK!!! While we are freaking out over camps getting started, every time you bring up training camp to a player or coach I promise you will be met with an extreme reaction. People seem to either love it or hate it and they are generally not shy about telling you why. It’s early mornings, late nights, hard work physically, the occasional tough learning curve, meetings, cafeteria style meals and and here’s the kicker (not literally) teams often sleep in university dorms or generally cozy quarters. We wanted to know what item(s) players brought with them to camp for comfort or fun and as you’d expect we got some pretty phenomenal answers…

 

ESKIMOS DE ODELL WILLIS

1. Portable fan so you won’t be hot while you sleep

2. PS4 for down time

3. Extra insoles and Vaseline to keep your feet blister free and comfortable for camp

4. Baby wipes cause the place where your staying tissue is like card board.

5. Snacks for the late night munchies

To say the least… he’s excited for football to return.

 

STAMPEDERS QB BO LEVI MITCHELL

“Cadillac’s!” Big man cleats, they are softer and more comfortable on the feet for all the two-a-days. Gotta keep the feet right and we know adidas are the people to make sure our guys are feeling right all season long!

Some of these cleats are awesome… we know one team in particular these suit pretty well…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOMBERS DL JAMAAL WESTERMAN

A must have is an Amazon TV and 2 bags of skittles. Don’t want to miss my new favorite show Handmaids Tale and I eat 2 Skittles a day. Just a little treat.

@Skittles

TICATS DB COURTNEY STEPHEN

I think one thing that people forget a lot of the time is to bring their own pillow because when you go into those dorms, I’m telling you when you go into those dorms, it’s been a while since I’ve been in college but it is rough. Bring your own pillow, that’s one.

Two, you need to bring your own foam roller or a soft ball or something that you can use because you put so much mileage on your body you gotta spend that last half hour before you go to bed, you gotta really work on your body and take care of your body.

Three, I would say bring some headphones because you’re going to need to able to disengage from that focus of go, go, go, all in on football sometimes and pull out so that you don’t burn out mentally. You’re going to need to be able to distract yourself a bit. Maybe read a book or listen to some music.

 

LIONS WR MANNY ARCENEAUX

I bring my NormaTec and PS4

TICATS QB ZACH COLLAROS

I’m simple. Just bring a pillow and a blanket to try to be more comfortable. Boring – I know!

 

ARGOS WR SJ GREEN

That would definitely have to be my headphones, and a lacrosse ball for my feet.

 

BOMBERS RB ANDREW HARRIS

I stay at home now because camp is at the stadium here in Winnipeg but I used to bring my own pillow and blankie to feel like I’m at home!

 

LIONS QB JONATHON JENNINGS

I bring a calendar to mark the days down until game day! Haha no I don’t bring anything fancy but always make sure to buy gummies from the grocery store and materials for late night pb&j

BOMBERS LB JOHN RUSH

Headphones, flip flops, snacks, coffee, personal segways/golf cart!

ARGOS DB MATT BLACK 

CANDY!!!

 

ARGOS GM JIM POPP

Q: Are there things that you bring from home that are comfort items? How do you get through the camp?

A: One thing that I bring, that I always go buy — you’ll laugh at this — but I always go and buy a sleeping bag. Or if I traveled up by car I bring one, but I usually go buy one. I get in my sleeping bag on top of my bed.”

Now last night there’s a whole crew of us in football ops, we went and bought sheets and pillowcases and pillows, because they’re pretty flat pillows (in the dorms at York), but the beds are fine. We had a great time deciding what colour of sheets or pillowcases, or we were choosing between superheroes. We were having a good time!”

Q: So you went with the superhero sheets? 

A: I have the superhero pillowcase. It’s a mixture of the superheroes. One guy got Star Wars (laughs). One of the guys took the Star Wars. But we were laughing. I don’t normally do that, but I was like, I didn’t have a pillowcase, so I thought I could get a whole set of sheets for the cost of what a pillowcase was. I’m going with the sheets and pillowcases, and everyone else did the same thing.