Article content

REGINA — Ottawa Redblacks coach Rick Campbell knows how important it is for his players to fit into the community.

Campbell, speaking on a coach’s panel Thursday during Mark’s CFL Week, talked about the sense of community he’s felt since moving to Ottawa four years ago to become the first head coach of the Redblacks.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Redblacks coach thinks future CFL Weeks would help grow the fan-player bond Back to video

“We’re getting a very good relationship with our fans,” said Campbell. “We call it a love affair. Our players know our fans and our fans know our coaches and players. That’s a great thing. I want to be part of that. I’m hoping I get to stay in Ottawa for a long time.”

This CFL Week, a first for the league, has given fans and media access to more than 50 players.

“This is a real-deal event that sure looks like something that would be great to continue to build on,” said Campbell. “There are a lot of really good things about the CFL. When you get to know the players, they’re real people, they’re interesting. They’re not multimillionaires who are shut away in a big house somewhere. They’re real people working hard and playing a fun sport. We need to make sure we put ourselves out there.”