The Edmonton Eskimos should get a decent tour of the Maritimes this month after the team announced its landing in Cornwall for a one-day player and coaching clinic.
Touchdown is Sept. 21 at the Cornwall turf fields. It's an off-shoot of Edmonton’s regular season CFL game versus the Toronto Argonauts on Sept. 26 in Moncton.
Brian Tancowny, president of Football P.E.I., couldn’t be happier. He, along with officials from Football Canada, the town of Cornwall and the provincial government, announced the camp Wednesday in Cornwall.
Tancowny, a Charlottetown resident, moved to P.E.I. from Edmonton in 2007. The clinic features about 80 Eskimos personnel including players, Dan McKinnon, manager of football administration for the Eskimos, and head scout Ed Hervey, two-time Grey Cup champ and former CFL all-star.
“It’s exposure for children and coaches to a professional level of development. The basics and fundamentals,” said Tancowny, who watched the Eskimos in the 1970s and 1980s dominate the league with seven Grey Cups from 1975 to 1987. “The larger goal is to get kids more active. We can use football as one of those means.”
The provincial government is chipping in $2,500 towards the camp which is free for Island players and coaches. Cornwall is donating administrative services.
The coaching clinic runs from 3 to 4 p.m. An on-field clinic for players and coaches follows at 4 p.m. At 5 p.m. is an autograph session, followed by a barbecue for the team and clinic participants at 6 p.m.
Edmonton will also donate a 2010 Grey Cup ticket package to benefit minor football on P.E.I.
The winner will be drawn at halftime of the Potato Bowl, the P.E.I. Tackle Football League championship game, on Nov. 7 in Souris.
Coaches should register for the clinic with Football P.E.I. at 368-4262 by Sept. 17.
creid@theguardian.pe.ca
