Student of football: Dave Blanchard, left, who coaches football in Oromocto, goes over throwing techniques with his 16-year-old son, Josh, during a recent practice session at Mackenzie Field. In an effort to expand on his coaching skills, Dave Blanchard leaves Saturday for a week-long football camp in Foxborough, Mass. put on by Sport International and the NFL's New England Patriots.

Getting coaching part down Pat
CAMFA Coach Dave Blanchard off to New England

A coach from the Capital Area Minor Football Association will soon be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in the football world.

Oromocto's Dave Blanchard has been invited to Foxborough, Mass. to take part in a summer football camp sponsored by Sport International and the National Football League's New England Patriots.

Blanchard, a coach with the Oromocto JV Blues, received the final call Tuesday from Maryland and departs for Wheaton College, outside of Boston, on Saturday for a five-day camp with three two-hour sessions a day of on-field coaching.

While at the camp, Blanchard will team up with some of the best NCAA coaches in the United States and NFL coaches and players from the Patriots to teach football skills to 14-17-year-old players.

This isn't a first for Blanchard. He attended the camp two years ago as a running back coach and offensive coordinator. He was invited back to this year's camp as a paid coach at the Quarterback Specialize Camp, coaching some of the best upcoming pivots in the U.S. And, yes, he will work with NFL players, and one of them is expected to be superstar quarterback Tom Brady of the Patriots.

"Coaches get together at night for a couple of hours to talk football," said Blanchard, 51. "The pros attend one training session a day and assist the coaches and get hands on with the athlete.

"(Pats lineman) Matt Light is there for each session as the camp is named in his honour. (Pat's LB) Teddy Bruschi makes a showing on the defensive side as does Rodney Harrison. Tom Brady should be there this year as they are having a special camp for QBs which I have been invited to coach at."

Blanchard said the NFL coaches don't get too involved but he has met the likes of Dante Scarnecchia, one of the top assistant coaches with New England, during previous trips.

This camp is part of a larger program sponsored by a group called Sport International and is conducted by 18 of the NFL teams.

"It truly is a special event to be invited to coach at these camps," said Blanchard, who in his day job is a trials officer conducting tests on new and prototype equipment the Canadian Forces are procuring at the Land Forces Trial and Evaluations Unit at Camp Gagetown.

His first invitation came while coaching high school football in Ottawa, where one of the coaches he was working with had been going to clinics in the U.S. and had been going to the Patriots camp for 10 years. He invited Blanchard to attend the camp in 2005 and gave the Patriots' personnel director Blanchard's name with a recommendation.

"Coaches can apply to attend and their files are reviewed," Blanchard said of the process. "Not many come from Canada, maybe three or four each year."

Blanchard has been invited back each of the last two seasons, but events haven't allowed him the time to go.

As a coach at the camp, Blanchard will be one of 15-20 coaches along side high school and NCAA coaches from all over the states.

Blanchard doesn't think being Canadian makes a difference.

"We're accepted as equals," he said. "Usually they get about 15 athletes from Canada each year at the camp. It's just the size of the field, the ball and the odd number of players in the Canadian game we have to adjust to."

As for the reason for it all and what it means to the future?

"I think in almost all cases the coaches that attend are there for the personal satisfaction of coaching and the learning experience," Blanchard said.

"We have some great friendships, and I still converse with some of the coaches in upper New York state. Before I left Ottawa about six coaches from New York state came up to Ottawa for the Grey Cup weekend."

The Sport International New England Patriot Camp will have 250-300 kids between the ages 12 and 17. The day starts off at 7 a.m. with breakfast followed by three coaching sessions and an evening swim.

"It's just four days of football," Blanchard said. "It's an excellent opportunity for everybody."