Nick Pelletier moved from Hamilton to Edmonton for a community relations job with the Eskimos.
Since then, he’s continued to move up the ranks, to the assistant director of football operations, and just last August added scout to his title.
He’s well aware of all that goes on behind the scenes just to get 46 players on the field for game day.
“Once the CFL schedule is released in December, that’s basically go time for myself,” said Pelletier. “When people ask, ‘What do you do in the off season?’
“That’s the answer: we’re already planning for the next season.”
Training camp is a beast of its own. He’s tasked with getting 100 players and 11 coaches from all over North America, and even Europe, to Edmonton. That has to include flights, accommodation and work permits.
“Being organized… is the key in this and just knowing what your priorities are,” said Pelletier. “A lot of it is circling back with guys because they’re not always the best at communicating. So you need to double back, triple back with those guys to make sure you have the info you need to get them here.
“Once they know who you are, and you know who they are, the communications lines are open it’s easier after that.”
Pelletier has it down to a science now going in to his fifth season in the job as he works towards his ultimate goal of becoming a general manager in the CFL.