Black And Gold Day A Success
Bert Faibish
Ticats.ca
The Ticats didn’t let a consistent rain spoil the team’s annual Black and Gold Day, as the team took part in a practice and a scrimmage before leaving the field for a meet and greet with the fans on hand.
Head Coach Marcel Bellefeuille put the team through it’s paces in front of a few hundred loyal fans who took advantage of the chance to see the team practice and receive autographs from some of their favourite players.
Bellefeuille was ‘mic’ed up’ for the scrimmage, providing fans with a running commentary of each play as it unfolded, describing the quarterback’s thought process and the defence’s reactions.
”It was kind of fun because it’s more relaxed, my role was more to entertain the fans, so I could actually hear them,” said Bellefeuille. “I never get to hear them during games because I’m so focused on what I’m doing,” he added.
Even with a fun atmosphere surrounding today’s practice, coach Bellefeuille found a way to get some practical experience from it.
”It was actually a good opportunity to practice in the rain, we’ve practiced a little bit in it but not constant like that the whole time,” he said.
The fans weren’t discouraged by the weather, and were just happy to get an opportunity to hear coach Bellefeuille’s thoughts from the sidelines.
”It was fine out here, the weather doesn’t keep me away,” said longtime Ticats fan Maggie Vaughn. ”Coach was so good, he explained a few things that I didn’t know so that was great.”
Coach Bellefeuille also had to make sure he kept his words to players rated PG, even if he wasn’t pleased with some of the things he saw.
”He kept it calm, I know he probably wanted to say a few things today but he restrained himself,” said linebacker Otis Floyd.
”He does need a little more practice on the mic though,” Floyd added with a laugh.
Fans were given a chance to meet every player on the team after practice and collect as many autographs as they wished.
For second-year Ticat Arland Bruce III, it’s a unique opportunity to be on the other side of the treatment he used to receive at Ivor Wynne, when he was a member of the double blue.
”I remember being booed and trash-talked when I would play here, it feels so much better to have those same people cheering you and pulling for you,” said Bruce.
