CFL and CFLPA Cancel Voluntary Off-Season Mini Camps

[jerrym]

The CFL and CFLPA have agreed to end voluntary off-season mini-camps because of concern over safety issues.

The CFL and CFLPA added mini-camps to the collective bargaining agreement in 2010, which allowed teams to hold them for three days, but they were voluntary and no contact was permitted. ...

Mini-camps provided teams the opportunity to see players in their own setting on a Canadian field while working with coaches and team-specific schemes. It gave a chance for franchises to evaluate newcomers and make decisions based on performances at mini-camp. Based on the assessment afterwards, players could put themselves in a favourable spot heading into training camp, especially rookies new to the three-down game, or hopefuls could be released.
Taking away mini-camps decreases reps for younger players and makes it harder for them to break into the CFL. For most personnel men and coaches it was a critical period of time where the players could be seen up close, viewing talent and decide whether or not a player(s) should come to main training camp or if new prospects should be brought in. Each squad can bring 75 players to training camp, but during that time only 12 player transactions can be utilized. That made mini-camps a valuable tool for judging talent and rounding out the roster without any constraints. ...

Player safety has been paramount has been top of mind since Randy Ambrosie has taken office as the commissioner. An extra bye week was added to the 2018 schedule and padded practices were eliminated after training camp is over last September. Eliminating mini-camps continues that initiative.

http://3downnation.com/2018/06/25/cf...on-mini-camps/

[rdavies]

And also saves money, which is part of the Commish's plan to get expenditures under control.

[jerrym]

Tim Baines is reporting that the cancelling of mini-camps is speculation despite Justin Dunk's claim (see post #1) that it is a done deal.

While it seems to still be speculation — 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk reported Monday it’s a done deal — if the Canadian Football League goes ahead and cancels April mini-camps, that’s potentially not a good thing in the eyes of Ottawa Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins. ...


“It’s stuff that’s been talked about, but nothing’s been finalized as far as I know,” said Desjardins. “So I don’t know what to tell you about it.”
Asked if it would be a good decision to cancel the mini-camps, Desjardins said: “I guess it depends on what the offset is — if you don’t do a mini-camp, what are you going to do to offset that? I don’t know that answer right now. Would they allow you to have a longer rookie camp and not have a mini-camp? That’s a consideration I know has been discussed.
“If you don’t have the mini-camp and you have to cut down your roster from 85 to 75 by May 1, how do you evaluate those guys? For me, if you’re getting rid of mini-camp, you have to get rid of that cutdown.”

If the league goes ahead and cancels the camp, you’d have to think it would be a money-based decision, right?
Said Desjardins: “The only thing you can say is all teams will be in the same boat. As much as you may think you’re saving money by doing it, the flipside is you may have to have more people come in during rookie camp and training camp.”

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...son-mini-camps