Like everyone else around the Canadian Football League – and pretty much the entire sports world – new Ottawa Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice is doing whatever he can to prepare for what lies ahead on the CFL calendar.

LaPolice spoke with TSN’s Brent Wallace via videoconference and touched on how he’s preparing for the draft and getting to know the rest of the organization.

“You’re doing the best you can trying to do your work and still spend time with family. I’m back in Winnipeg and just trying to do our best to get all the draft work done. Our support staff is so good, we’ve got a bunch of guys – you ask for something and the next day it’s ready for you so I think our support staff has done an outstanding job preparing us. So we can still look at our draft film we can still talk as coaches, do all those things.

“The hard part is when you have, you know I have a young family. I have a 12, 9 and 6-year-old and you have to pick your spots. You can’t just go into the office, shut your door and work all day. You have to help out and do what you need to do. But we’re working through it.”

LaPolice took over for Rick Campbell – who joined the BC Lions earlier in the off-season – as head coach on a three-year deal agreed to in December. The 49-year-old is coming off a successful stint in Winnipeg as offensive coordinator where he helped lead the Blue Bombers to their first Grey Cup title since 1990 last season.

In terms of the breakdown between draft work and other football-related preparations, LaPolice said he’s trying to split things down the middle as best he can.

“Usually I think you try to do half a day of football, half a day of draft work and just stay on top of things. I’m making phone calls, I made some calls to CIS coaches this morning to touch base about players. It’s just a little bit different that you’re just doing it by yourself locally than in a group. You just have less meeting time with all your coaches.”

While Ottawa’s new coach has little idea when – or if – things go back to normal this year, he reiterated that safety is a top priority for the league, its fans and its personnel.

“It’s unfortunate we’re pushed back. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure everybody is safe and then play when we can," he said.