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Women’s Night was such a hit for the Ottawa RedBlacks, they’re thinking about doing it more than once next season.

The event, held Thursday at TD Place, sold out within half an hour, with 180 women on hand to listen to and get hands-on instruction from RedBlacks coaches and players.

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“We wanted to give them VIP access to the RedBlacks, show them what goes into playing a football game,” said Ottawa coach Rick Campbell. “We want to make it so if they’re watching, they have a good idea of why we’re doing what we’re doing.

“I mean this sincerely, I grew up with three sisters and my wife’s a big football fan — a lot of women don’t get the credit they deserve for how knowledgeable they are about football. There are also some who are just learning the game, maybe debating whether they want to be a fan or not. We try to make it not intimidating so they can come in, learn and go from there.”

Along with filling the women in with some of the x’s and o’s and digging into their playbook, the RedBlacks ran some drills on the field — showing the proper techniques for throwing, catching and tackling.

“Our players and coaches love it because (the women are) so enthusiastic,” said Campbell. “The big part for us is it builds relationships. We’re trying to build lifetime fans who are emotionally invested in the team.”

It’s also important to note that the money raised from the event goes to Harmony House, a women’s shelter.

tbaines@postmedia.com

Twitter: @TimCBaines