The CFL off-season can be long. Like really long. The Alouettes played their final game on Nov. 28 in Hamilton, and they won’t start training camp until the middle of May. But starting quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. does his part to ensure the offence isn’t rusty heading into camp.
Like he did last year, Adams Jr. is hosting several teammates in Tacoma, Washington for an unofficial minicamp. The 29-year-old pays for his teammates to fly in from their respective cities, he puts them up in a nice hotel, ensures that they’re fed. He also booked massages for each of the guys during their stay.
The list of Als players in attendance this year includes Adams Jr. and fellow quarterback Dominique Davis, receivers Eugene Lewis (second from right), Jake Wieneke (second from left), Reggie White Jr. (third from left), Kaion Julien-Grant (far right), Hergy Mayala (behind Lewis), and Dante Absher (first from left). Running backs William Stanback and Jeshrun Antwi are also participating.
Players were also able to bring their significant others and children to Tacoma, too. The wives were treated to a full spa day while their husbands were on the field working out.
Even though it takes nearly a month to organize this camp, the Als quarterback doesn’t want recognition or credit for setting up the event and taking care of the expenses. He sees it as a necessary part of team-building both on and off the field.
“I only do it because I look at it as an investment,” Adams Jr. told MontrealAlouettes.com on Friday morning. “Look at us last year, we were the number one offence in all categories. We did that minicamp. So, this helps. It’s team chemistry, it’s team bonding. Even outside of doing the football stuff, we’re hanging out. We’re doing bible study and getting to learn about guys even more. Little things that are bringing us closer together to help me trust you on the field and off the field. If I can trust you off the field, now I’m going to trust you on the field. Little things like that help develop chemistry.”
It’s just work!! @CFLPA ☀️ 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/ocg8NcCDEj
— Vernon Adams Jr. (@VernonAdamsJr8) April 8, 2022
Elks defensive back Aaron Grymes and Lions defensive back T.J. Lee were also working out with the group this week.
The camp officially began on Thursday and on-field activities finished up on Saturday. Players returned home on Sunday.
What does a typical day look like at VA’s camp?
The players woke up around 8 a.m. PST and they hit the weight room at around 8:30 until about 9:30. Once they finished lifting weights, they traveled to the field where they practiced from 10:30 until about 12:15 p.m. PST. After they were done on the field, they would go to Adams Jr.’s house for lunch. On Thursday, for example, they were able to chow down on some Chipotle.
When they were done eating, they sat down and talked about what types of offensive plays they’d be running on the field the next day. That meeting took place from 12:30 to 2:00. The message period ran from 3:00 until 7:00. Five players were able to get a massage on Thursday and the other five were able to go on Friday.
The days were full, but the information players obtained from these kinds of workouts were vital, especially with training camp right around the corner.
“I think we’re all just trying to get a feel for where we’re at in our training in our off-season,” added Adams Jr. (pictured above) “We’re one month away from training camp, so now this little minicamp tells us what we need to work on when we’re back home.”
Getting on the same page
For the first time in a long time, there is continuity on the Als roster. Adams Jr. is familiar with veterans like Lewis, Wieneke and Stanback, but there are some fresh faces that are now in the fold.
For a newcomer like Mayala, getting to know new teammates and their tendencies goes a long way. On top of attending Adams Jr.’s minicamp, Mayala and the Als quarterback have been on the phone talking about the offensive game plan for the 2022 season.
“It helped me tremendously,” Mayala (pictured below) said of getting some field time with his new teammates. “Vernon and I have been going over (the offence) for two or three weeks now. And now I’m getting a chance to actually go out there and not just look at the Xs and Os. I’m actually doing it on the field and seeing how the defence moves and how I can adjust my route. Something like this is what I needed.”
White Jr. had a strong end to the 2021 season, as he stepped into the starting lineup for the injured B.J. Cunningham. But the 26-year-old only became a starter after Adams Jr. suffered his season-ending shoulder injury. The two didn’t get to play together in a real game situation in 2021. So, developing their on-field chemistry is vital heading into the year.
“This (camp) is everything,” White Jr., who was at Adams Jr.’s camp last year, said on Friday. “Last year being my first year up (in the CFL), I got to learn plays, meet the guys. I got a comfortable feeling before going to training camp. It was good for me. It helped me out a lot. I came into camp, I was prepared, and I knew what I was doing, and I could just hit the ground rolling. This year, it’s just cleaning up (the details of the game) and hanging out with the guys. We haven’t seen each other since the end of November, so we were all excited to see each other. We’re thankful that (Adams Jr.) puts this together every year.
“I didn’t realize how much time there was (between the end of the regular season and the start of the training camp). We finished in November and don’t come back until May. That’s a lot of time. You just want to give your body a break, but you want to keep working, too.”
These 10 Alouettes players went their own way on Sunday, but they’ll be meeting up again in Quebec very soon. Training camp, which will be in Trois-Rivières this year, will begin on May 15th.
