EDMONTON – For the Elks players, tomorrow’s Fan Day presented by Cooper Equipment Rentals is an exciting opportunity to meet the people who will be cheering them on from the stands.
Fan Day is typically one of the most anticipated practice days of Training Camp. Daily three-or four-hour practices can be a grind, but when you’re able to compete in a mock game in front of fans, it helps bring a little bit more energy and breaks up the monotony of camp.
For the fans, it’s a first chance to meet up with some old favourites, as well as some of the next generation of CFL stars.
“Edmonton’s a great sports town and when we do have Fan Day, they turn out,” said head coach Chris Jones, who has four Fan Days under his belt. “The kids love to come and meet the players. That’s the name of the game. When you look around this stadium here, you see all the names: Gizmo Williams, Ricky Ray, and all. I mean, that’s what the CFL is.”
Kai Gray, last year’s West Division Most Outstanding Player, remembers his first Fan Day experience. Being a rookie at the time, he appreciated the chance for fans to get to know him prior to becoming one of the league’s top rising talents.
“Yeah, (I’m excited), especially after last year. It was good seeing the fans for the Fan Day and interacting with the community,” Gray said. “Just being able to show people that we’re more than football players out here, we can have an impact on people’s lives as well. It’s just a blessing.”
Kai Gray having a good time interacting with fans at last year’s Fan Day
As for what fans can expect. The event will be filled with many family friendly activities including an inflatable play area, balloon artists, face painting, an alumni dunk tank, and more.
The star of the show is the close up look at the 2024 Edmonton Elks, followed by a full team autograph session. You’ll get to watch the Elks best go head-to-head against each other as they build towards the regular season.
“We’ll have A’s on A’s, and B’s on B’s. We’ll have a solid 30 or 40 play script which will be about a half, with special teams,” Jones said. “So, we’ll be out there a solid hour and a half, and then we’ll do what we’re supposed to do on Fan Day and let the players go see the fans.”
For more details on this year’s Fan Day presented by Cooper Equipment Rentals, click HERE