Players, coaches at second annual Cree Nation-Renegades All-Star Football Camp
Published on August 22, 2005 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Ottawa Renegades News Release
OTTAWA - For the second consecutive year, Ottawa Renegades players and coaches will spend the majority of their bye week in Northern Quebec to take part in the second annual Cree Nation-Renegades All-Star Football Camp. The event begins Tuesday with five Renegades players and two coaches heading to Mistissini, helping more than 400 native youth between the ages of six and 18.
Joe Paopao, the Renegades head coach and general manager, will be returning with his offensive coordinator, Kani Kauahi to take part in the three-day camp (August 23-25). Also heading over a thousand kilometres north will be five Renegades players, who will help the young players in a region dealing with challenges of substance abuse, suicide, hopelessness and family dysfunction.
Linebackers Jason Kralt and Martin Gagnon will join defensive end Ray Jacobs, wide receiver David Azzi and defensive lineman Adrian Baird to help the group through the ropes of the game and give guidance and hope to a collection of young people with the help of maximizing the youth's potential physically, mentally and spiritually.
It was in August, 2004 when the Renegades first made the trip to Mistissini, located about 1,100 km north of Ottawa in the James Bay region (population approximately 3,600), to work with approximately 200 youth. Camp coordinator Gord Hudson says interest has been high since for the return of players and coaches of the Ottawa football club.
"This camp means the world to this community," says Hudson, a former Ottawa Roughriders player. "Since the coaches and players left last year, everyone as been talking about it. The kids cherish this camp and it's been the talk of the community. We will have about double the number of kids taking part as last year and it just keeps getting bigger. It's gone from just kids in Mistissini taking part to the entire Cree Nation."
"What a great opportunity for us as the Renegades organization to help the youth of today," said Paopao. "Some guys on our team have been through tough situations growing up and through education and college, there are opportunities out there. This gives us a chance to go forward and give young men a chance to hear what positive things are out there in life. Sports can do good things for people - just look in our own organization. We're going as Renegades. This is part of our organization's commitment - that outside of football, life lessons are to be learned and we're like everyone else. It's great to be able to help the kids."
Bye weeks are the rare opportunities that coaches and players use to rest, often returning home during their break. But the Renegades are continuing their commitment to the community and giving back to youth.
"This is important to us," said Coach Paopao.
Ottawa returns to action on Friday, September 2 against the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium. The Renegades return to play on their home turf on Thursday, September 8 for a Week 11 affair against the B.C. Lions at Frank Clair Stadium. Tickets are available either at the Renegades ticket office (1015 Bank Street), on the Internet (http://www.capitaltickets.ca), by phone (613.599.3267 or 877.788.3267), any Sports Experts location in the Ottawa and Gatineau regions as well as the Corel Centre Box Office in Kanata.
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