Other CFL Teams Tryout Camps

Calgary has quite an extensive list of tryout camp sites. It's part of what makes them so successful.

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Below are the sites and dates for 2017 open tryouts. Participants must pre-register for the tryout by completing the form at the end of the list.
>> Read about an open tryout success story
Unless otherwise noted, registration begins at 9 a.m., at which time participants will be weighed and measured. Each participant will be put through a number of Canadian Football League-specific athletic tests and drills such as the 40-yard dash, short shuttle, broad jump and vertical jump.
This will be followed by individual position drills and one-on-ones. The cost of the workout is $80 cash per person, payable at registration.
For further information, email Kyle Carson at: scouting@stampeders.com
Feb. 18 — Miami area
Ted Hendricks Stadium
Milander Park, 4700 Palm Ave.
Hialeah, FL
Feb. 19 — Atlanta area
Duncan Creek Park
3700 Braselton Hwy
Dacula, GA
Mar. 4 — Los Angeles area
Golden West College (grass practice field)
Address 15744 Golden West St.
Huntington Beach, CA
Mar. 5 — Sacramento area
UC Davis – Aggie Stadium
Address La Rue Rd.
Davis, CA
Mar. 18 — Dallas area
Eagle Stadium (Desoto ISD)
700 Eagle Dr.
DeSoto, TX
Mar. 18 — Salt Lake City
University of Utah – Spence and Cleone Eccles Football Center
600 South Guardsman Way
Salt Lake City, UT
Mar. 19 — Houston area
Barbers Hill High School
9600 Eagle Dr
Mont Belvieu TX
Mar. 19 — Seattle
Highline Memorial Stadium
430 S. 156th St.
Seattle, WA
Apr. 1 — New Jersey
The Hun School
176 Edgerstoune Rd.
Princeton, NJ
Apr. 1 — Chicago
Mandrake Park
3858 South Cottage Grove Ave.
Chicago, IL
Apr. 2 — Pittsburgh area
Central Valley High School
160 Baker Road Ext.
Monaca, PA
Apr. 2 — Nashville
Franklin Road Academy
4700 Franklin Road
Nashville, TN
Apr. 8 — Charlotte
Mallard Creek High
3825 Johnston Oehler Rd.
Charlotte, NC
Apr. 9 — New Orleans area
East Jefferson High School
400 Phlox Ave.
Metairie, LA
Apr. 29 — Tampa
Middleton High School
4801 N. 22nd St.
Tampa, FL

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I really don't think that Calgary is unique in this regard among CFL teams. I know that the Argos always have many such camps in the off-season.

Riders tryout camps can be found at:

http://www.riderville.com/34155-2/

The Redblacks have announced their tryout camps.

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The Ottawa REDBLACKS will hold Open Tryouts on the following dates:

**Pre-registration is highly recommended
**Testing: 2 – 40 yard dashes, Short Shuttle, 1 on 1’s and individual drills
**Athletes must bring their own shoes, gloves, shorts, tape and water. T-shirts will be provided.

April 1, 2017 INDIANAPOLIS Decatur Central High School 5251 Kentucky Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46221 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 9:00 AM Testing: 10:00 AM Surface: Artificial Turf	April 2, 2017 NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina Central University (Practice Field) 1801 Fayetteville St, Durham, NC 27707 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 11:30 AM Testing: 12:30 AM Surface: Artificial Turf	April 8, 2017 HOUSTON Houston Baptist University Husky Stadium 7502 Fondren Rd, Houston, TX 77074 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 9:00 AM Testing: 10:00 AM Surface: Artificial Turf
April 9, 2017 SAN JOSE San Jose City College Stadium 727 Leigh Ave, San Jose, CA 95128 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 11:30 AM Testing: 12:30 AM Surface: Artificial Turf	May 20, 2017 ATLANTA Georgia State Football Practice Facility 188 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 9:00 AM Testing: 10:00 AM Surface: Artificial Turf	May 21, 2017 LAS VEGAS Bill “Wildcat” Morris Rebel Park (Practice Field) 4505 S Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154 Registration Fee: $100 USD Cash only Registration: 11:30 AM Testing: 12:30 AM Surface: Artificial Turf

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http://www.ottawaredblacks.com/open-tryouts/

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Originally Posted by jerrym

Calgary has quite an extensive list of tryout camp sites. It's part of what makes them so successful.

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Interesting imbedded story about LB Maleki Harris who came through the camp:

http://www.stampeders.com/2016/02/02...e-opportunity/

Calgary charges an $80 registration fee. I am with the teams break even on costs and last year Calgary got 2 starters.

Here are the announced BC Lions tryout camps.

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Friday, April 7, 2017 – Las Vegas, Nevada
Location TBA
Saturday, April 8, 2017 – Dallas, Texas
Location TBA
Sunday, April 9, 2017 – New Orleans, LA
Location: John Ryan Stadium – 100 Blue Jay Way (Metairie, LA)
Registration: 9:00 am / Testing: 9:30 am / Surface: Field Turf
Saturday, April 22, 2017 – Atlanta, Georgia
Location: Lakewood Stadium – 70 Claire Drive
Registration: 9:00 am / Testing: 9:30 am / Surface: Field Turf
Sunday, April 23, 2017 – Washington, DC
Location: Bishop McNamara High School – 6800 Marlboro Pike (Forestville, MD)
Registration: 8:30am / Testing: 9:00 am / Surface: Field Turf
Saturday, May 13, 2017 – Seattle, Washington
Location: Rainier Beach High School – 8815 Seward Park Avenue South
Registration: 9:00 am / Testing: 9:30 am / Surface: Field Turf

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http://www.bclions.com/free-agent-camps/

Hamilton has announced five tryout camps.

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Atlanta, Georgia – March 9
Anderson Park
120 Anderson Ave, NW
Atlanta, GA 30314
Registration begins at 9:00 am

New Orleans, Louisiana – March 10
Victory Field @ Joe Brown Memorial Park
5601 Read Blvd, New Orleans, LA
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Registration begins at 9:00 am

Miami Gardens, Florida – March 11
Betty T Ferguson Rec Complex
3000 NW 199th St.
Miami Gardens, FL 33056
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Registration begins at 9:00 am

Dallas, Texas – March 31
Pennington Field
1501 Central Drive
Bedford, TX 76022
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Registration begins at 9:00 am

Los Angeles, California– April 1
Santa Monica College
1900 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA
Time 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Registration begins at 9:00 am

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http://ticats.ca/free-agent-camps/

The Eskimos have a long liist of tryout camps.

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OPEN TRY OUT SCHEDULE

When: Saturday, March 11, 2017
Where: The First Academy
The Payne Stewart Athletic Complex Field
3000 South John Young Parkway
Orlando, Florida 32805
Registration: 10A.M. EST
Workout: 11 A.M. EST
When: Sunday, March 19, 2017
Where: Grady Stadium
501 10th Street-Across From Piedmont Park
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Registration: 10 A.M. EST
Workout: 11 A.M. EST
When: Sunday, March 26, 2017
Where: University of Memphis
Billy J. Murphy Complex
Football Practice Field
115 East Getwell Loop
Memphis, Tennessee 38152
Registration: 10 A.M. CST
Workout: 11 A.M. CST
When: Saturday, April 1, 2017
Where: El Camino College
Murdock Stadium-16007 Crenshaw Boulevard
Torrance, California 90260
Registration: 10 A.M. PST
Workout: 11 A.M. PST
When: Saturday, April 1, 2017
Where: Hurst L.D. Bell High School
Raider Bowl Field-1601 Brown Trail
Hurst, Texas 76054
Registration: 10 A.M. CST
Workout: 11 A.M. CST
When: Sunday, April 2, 2017
Where: College of San Mateo
Bulldogs Stadium-1700 West Hillsdale Boulevard
San Mateo, California 94402
Registration: 10 A.M. PST
Workout: 11 A.M. PST
When: Sunday, April 2, 2017
Where: Rice University
Rice Stadium-6100 South Main Street
Houston, Texas 77005
Registration: 10 A.M. CST
Workout: 11 A.M. CST
When: Sunday, April 9, 2017
Where: University of Richmond
Robins Stadium-23B Boatwright Drive
Richmond, Virginia 23173
Registration: 10 A.M. EST
Workout: 11 A.M. EST
When: Saturday, April 22, 2017
University of South Alabama
Practice Field -591 Joseph East Gottfried Dr.
Mobile, Alabama 36688
Registration: 10 A.M. CST
Workout: 11 A.M. CST
When: Saturday, April 29, 2017
Where: University of Nevada Las Vegas
PLAY-IN DAY
Bill “Wildcat” Morris Rebel Park
UNLV Football Practice Field
4505 South Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, Nevada 89154
Registration: 9:00 A.M. PST
Workout: 11:30 A.M. PST
When: Sunday, May 7, 2017
Where: Chamimade Julienne High School
Roger Glass Stadium-401 South Perry Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402
Registration: 10 A.M. EST
Workout: 11 A.M. EST
When: Saturday, May 13, 2017
Where: Grady Stadium
501 10th Street-Across From Piedmont Park
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Registration: 10 A.M. EST
Workout: 11 A.M. EST

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http://www.esks.com/open-tryouts/

The Stampeders had considerable success last year in finding three players at their tryout camps.

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All Osagie Odiase wanted was an opportunity to prove what he can do on a football field. He knew if given the chance, he could make the most of that opportunity. Eric Rogers, a former teammate of Odiasie’s on the Arena Football League’s Portland Thunder before emerging as a star receiver for the Stamps, helped convince Odiase to give the CFL a shot. “(Eric) was telling me how good it was and how the team and town treated him, — that’s one of the reasons I wanted to try out for Calgary,” said Odiase of his decision to attend a tryout camp in Huntington Beach, Calif. The tryout was a success. As he was packing to get ready to return to Portland, the Stamps called Odiase with an invitation to their mini-camp in Florida and the Sacramento State product knew this was his shot. ...

“I just threw all my eggs in one basket and said, ‘Forget it. I’m not going (to Portland).’ Because I know for a fact I’ll make (the Stampeders),” Odiase told the Calgary Herald at 2016 training camp. Odiase made the roster ended playing six regular-season games and one playoff contest in his rookie campaign and will now compete for a regular starting gig in 2017.
The Stampeders hold open tryouts in cities across the U.S. looking for top talent to invite to their annual mini-camp in Bradenton, Fla., located near Tampa. In 2016, more than 20 free agent athletes who attended open tryouts received an invite to the mini-camp in Bradenton, where the Stampeders football staff was able to evaluate the players’ skills in a variety of situations.
Quite a few players from the Florida camp received invites to Calgary for training camp and three players — Odiase, Jamal Nixon and Roy Finch — were able to secure spots on the roster and make contributions on the field during the Stampeders’ dominant 2016 season. ...

“The importance of our open tryout program cannot be understated,” says Brendan Mahoney, one of the Stampeders’ directors of scouting. “With the sheer number of quality players in North America, our goal is tour the continent and provide an opportunity for these players to display their skills in a professional environment to our scouts and coaches.
“Meeting and speaking to a player in person at an open tryout is something our organization places a high priority on.” From a football operations standpoint, nothing is more valuable than being able to evaluate a prospective player live and in-person in a competitive situation.
There are few players who can attest to this more than Finch, one of the CFL’s top special-teams return men. ...

Finch had previously played in the CFL but had spent a year away from the game and Stampeders staff was eager to see how the speedy scatback and kick returner looked in person. “We told Roy we liked him and saw him fitting into what we do, but we wanted to see him validate our vision in person,” says Mahoney.
The approach worked and Finch went on to be one of the CFL’s most productive kick and punt returners in 2016. ...

There are open-tryout success stories scattered all over Stamps rosters past and present including the exceptional rise of cornerback Ciante Evans. Evans secured a spot on the Calgary roster after making it through the Bradenton mini-camp and a grueling 2015 main training camp.

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http://www.stampeders.com/2017/02/10...t-can-pay-off/

I notice the Saskatchewan Roughriders have had a ton of these throughout every corner of North America. They do have the funds with a strong fan base and merchandise sales.

They just finished having a couple last weekend in both Buffalo and Pittsburgh, and are following that with another couple this weekend in Detroit and Columbus.

The Eskimos also have a few in the northern part of the US. I find it odd that the Argos tend to schedule theirs strictly in the Southeast, which I think limits the type of player they need to find to play in the CFL.

They do have a FA tryout camp in partnership with both Saskatchewan and Winnipeg in Carlsbad, California for mid-April, but I find it funny that they don't have any in some of the big 12 hotbeds of college and high school football in the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. I know it's cold, but they do have indoor bubble facilities for winter, especially if you go to an NFL or college football town. The Riders held their Buffalo tryout camp at the Bills practice facility at 1 Bills Dr. in Orchard Park. You figure the Americans who grew up near the border states, are a bit more familiar with the CFL, and know how competitive it's been throughout it's history.

Not saying the Southern US guys don't, but I've noticed some of them view it as a destination not much more desirable than the Arena League, or as equal too, because they didn't grow up having as much access to watching CFL. I've said this before, they are also not prone or experienced in playing in cooler, or downright colder weather conditions, which is what you're almost guaranteed to have in the late season and playoffs during the CFL season.

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Originally Posted by Gill The Thrill

I find it odd that the Argos tend to schedule theirs strictly in the Southeast, which I think limits the type of player they need to find to play in the CFL.

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I wonder if the Argos will change the distribution of their tryout camps, if not this year as its getting late to do so, then next year under their new GM and coach.

The southeast (including Texas) is where almost all of the growth in college football has been in the last 30 years. It would be stupid for any team to not concentrate recruiting efforts there.

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Originally Posted by argolio

The southeast (including Texas) is where almost all of the growth in college football has been in the last 30 years. It would be stupid for any team to not concentrate recruiting efforts there.

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Looking elsewhere never hurts. After all Calgary has done a pretty good job of adding players by having a wide distribution of tryout camps as can be seen from posts #1 and #9, as well as by their record.

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Originally Posted by jerrym

Looking elsewhere never hurts. After all Calgary has done a pretty good job of adding players by having a wide distribution of tryout camps as can be seen from posts #1 and #9, as well as by their record.

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I'm not saying ignore other areas. But the south does rule football in the U.S.

Besides which, I think these tryout camps, while important, are overrated. Much more important to have a management team with good scouts and strong contacts down south.

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Originally Posted by argolio

The southeast (including Texas) is where almost all of the growth in college football has been in the last 30 years. It would be stupid for any team to not concentrate recruiting efforts there.

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I really hope the Argos are seriously looking at that football pipeline down in Katy Texas.

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Originally Posted by argolio

The southeast (including Texas) is where almost all of the growth in college football has been in the last 30 years. It would be stupid for any team to not concentrate recruiting efforts there.

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I have no idea what you mean by "growth", but if that means Michigan and Ohio has no "growth" on producing good football players, then I'm sure those responsible for recruiting for Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State would beg to differ. College football teams are full of in-state players. Let's also not forget the many smaller programs and college football divisions that are played. I believe both Michigan and Ohio have their own small school divisions. That doesn't sound like states that have seen limited "growth" in football.

Of course Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California still produce players. But over 70% of the schools added to division 1-A football in the last 30-35 years have come from the south. Ohio added one, Michigan none, and one in Pennsylvania dropped to a lower division. Three in California dropped football entirely. A school in Virginia just announced they're moving up to i-A.

The top northern schools also rarely used to recruit in the south. Now they have to in order to compete. It's no accident that the SEC and the ACC have dominated national titles in the last decade.

Here's Winnipeg's tryout camps:

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Tampa, FL

DATE: February 25, 2017
TIME: 9:45 am (registration begins at 9:00 am and closes at 9:45)
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Skyway Park
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Pre register by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com

Dallas, TX

*NEW LOCATION*
DATE: March 4, 2017
TIME: Registration – 9:00 – 9:45 am, Workout begins at 10:00 am
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Hebron High School, 4207 Plano Parkway, Carrollton Texas 75010
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Reserve your spot by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com. Formal registration will take place on-site.

Austin, TX

DATE: March 5, 2017
TIME: Registration – 9:00 – 9:45 am, Workout begins at 10:00 am
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Westlake Chaparral Stadium
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Reserve your spot by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com. Formal registration will take place on-site.


Houston, TX

DATE: March 26, 2017
TIME: Registration – 9:00 – 9:45 am, Workout begins at 10:00 am
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Rice University Stadium
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Reserve your spot by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com. Formal registration will take place on-site.


Norfolk, VA

DATE: April 9, 2017
TIME: Registration – 8:00 – 8:45 am, Workout begins at 9:00 am
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Norfolk State University – William “Dick” Price Stadium
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Reserve your spot by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com. Formal registration will take place on-site.


Akron, OH

DATE: April 21, 2017
TIME: Registration – 4:00 – 4:45 pm, Workout begins at 5:00 pm
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: University of Akron InfoCision Stadium- Summa Field
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.
Reserve your spot by emailing Danny McManus, Assistant GM, dmcmanus@bluebombers.com. Formal registration will take place on-site.
Philadelphia, PA

DATE: April 23, 2017
TIME: Registration – 9:00 – 9:45 am, Workout begins at 10:00 am
COST: $100 cash only (no refunds)
LOCATION: Widener University – Leslie C. Quick Jr Stadium
NOTABLE: The workout will take place on a turf field. This is a non-contact workout, pads are not required. Please bring proper workout attire and water.

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http://www.bluebombers.com/2017-free-agent-camps/