Riders find silver lining in CFL protocol rules
Public health restrictions lifted in Saskatchewan July 11, but the CFL is keeping a layer of precaution throughout Riders’ training camp.
After completing a seven-day quarantine before hitting the field with their teammates, players are still required to keep themselves distanced. The team is only allowed to move the players from their dorms to the stadium and then back.
Head coach Craig Dickenson said it’s a concern for every one when it comes to being able to build.a team bond.
“It’s a challenge this year to build chemistry, stay within the COVID guidelines – which we’re working very hard to do – and still put a good team on the field,” said Dickenson.
He added he would like to be able to take the team for an afternoon of fellowship at the bowling alley, or to get them off their feet at the pool, but those type of team bonding activities are off the table with the current guidelines.
“We’re not complaining, that’s just the reality of it, but those are things that bring teams together,” said Dickenson.
On the other hand, the players are finding a silver lining in the arrangement.
Quarterback Mason Fine said having these restrictions in place makes you focus on the game a little more.
“… You can’t go out, you just go back to your dorm and what are you going to do? You’re going to be on your laptop and watch Netflix, yeah, but you’re probably going to look at your playbook a little bit more,” said Fine/
Reciever Ricardo Louis said you can also find him in the playbook.
“I’m here, I’m in the dorms and the only thing I can think about is football and just getting better and making this team,” he said.
Using their time wisely, the players said they are trying to become the best players they can be.
“I”m just waking up everyday, following the schedule, doing what my coaches ask, trying to be the best player I can be for this team and doing what needs to be done,” said Fine.
Dickenson said he hopes the players are meshing and gelling well on their own, despite the lack of group outings.
The players are also asked to not visit each other’s rooms at the dorms, but they’re still finding ways to keep in touch.
“We have still texts, we still have group messages and FaceTime. We can still do that… [we’re] finding ways to communicate and learn the playbook together,” explained Louis.
Dickenson said the players are giving up a lot to be here, and they are all in the same boat fighting the good fight together.
“Hopefully when we start playing games and guys start seeing the fruits of their labour on the field, it will all be worth it in the end,” said Dickenson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.