New Eskimos offensive quality control coach Kelly Bates is old enough to remember the Canadian rock band Trooper.
Two years after he was born, Trooper released the song “We’re Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time,” and that’s how Bates describes his first stint with the Eskimos in 2010 at the end of his playing career.
Bates’ second stint with the Green and Gold will start at the beginning of the season this time, but he says that final three months in 2010 made returning to Edmonton easy.
“I had such a positive experience last time. The overall culture, the way the city embraces that team and the importance of that team.”
The 2018 season will be Bates’ eighth as a coach: four with the Lions, three as the head coach at Simon Fraser University and now with the Eskimos.
The Eskimos’ first win of the 2018 season will probably be special for Bates. He hasn’t won a game for awhile. The Clan went 0-29 in his three seasons as head coach playing in Division 2 of the NCAA. Despite the lack of success on the field, the 42-year-old Bates says it was good for him.
“It was a tremendous learning experience. There are aspects of the college game that you don’t get in the pro game. Recruiting is most important, that’s what your are doing 24/7. You find out how important funding is — unfortunately at SFU, regardless of who makes those decisions and why, the funding isn’t where it needs to be.”
Three seasons and 29 straight losses also helped to bring Bates back to what coaching means.
“It gave me the opportunity to reconnect with what is extremely important in being a coach. That’s regardless of what goes on on the field, relationships are still the most important thing,” said the native of Humboldt, Sask.
“You get lost trying to find that win, or put the kids in a position to win, and you sometimes forget about the fact that the relationships you are building with these young men are so important, and that matters at every level,” Bates said.
After three years at SFU playing American rules, Bates is looking forward to getting back to the CFL.
“It definitely is a reintroduction and a great starting point. I feel very fortunate for the opportunity and to Brock (Sunderland) and Jason (Maas) for making that happen. My goal is to make it the right decision and right for the team, making sure I bring value, making sure that I do what is asked of me and learn how to be what they need me to be.”
This time around with the Eskimos, Bates is hoping for a good time, but also a longer time.
LISTEN: Kelly Bates on joining the Eskimos coaching staff for 2018
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