When the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks rolled into Kingston earlier this summer for a training camp at Richardson Stadium, three Queen’s Gaels earned a shot at professional football—without even leaving campus.
Earlier this summer, the Redblacks invited three Gaels players to participate in their training camp as part of a new partnership with Queen’s. Each athlete was selected for one of three CFL programs designed to develop and showcase Canadian football talent, giving them valuable exposure to the professional game and a taste of life at the next level.
Queen’s Women’s Football standout player, Kallie St. Germain, ConEd ’27, joined the Redblacks’ coaching staff through the CFL’s 2025 Women in Football internship program. St. Germain is coming off a successful year with the Queen’s women’s football team, who were crowned 2025 OWIFA Cup Champions after an undefeated 11-0 season.
Although St. Germain spent most of her playing career on offense, her sights are now set on the defensive side of the ball. Under the mentorship of Redblacks Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach, Deion Melvin—who brings decades of coaching experience—she’s been learning the nuances of defensive football. In a statement to The Journal, St. Germain praised the entire Redblacks defensive staff for their roles in guiding her through this program.
“Being around a professional team and feeling supported by the players and staff made me realize there’s real space for women in football. At the same time, it also showed me how much there’s still to learn,” St. Germain says. She added that she would love to pursue coaching in the future and that she is grateful for the foundation the Redblacks have laid for her.
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Queen’s Men’s Football Defensive Back Coach and Special Teams Assistant, Thompson McCallum, ArtSci ’21, stepped onto the professional stage through the CFL’s Diversity in Football Program.
“The opportunity to work with a front office staff and the GM in the scouting department was something that I thought was pretty unique and probably wouldn’t come back around,” McCallum said in an interview with The Journal.
For McCallum, the level of specialization—in scouting, coaching, and operations—paired with the scope and depth that professional front offices go through when evaluating players stood out to him during the program.
While not at the professional level, McCallum says his learning will directly translate to his work with Queen’s.
“We’re running a program that’s similar to what they’re doing at the professional level. A lot of the similarities made me confident that the skills that I’ve gained here will be transferable to the future,” he said.
Overall, McCallum gained valuable insight from the experience—and Ottawa may pick up a tip or two from him as well.
“Having [the Redblacks] give me that recognition of ‘You bring up some really good points there,’ and just being able to sit down with them and talk ball. To know that my level of knowledge is not super far behind, I definitely have a lot more room to grow, but it was really good to have that feeling that I am on the right path,” McCallum said.
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Gaels quarterback Alex Vreeken, Kin ’26, participated in Redblacks Rookie Camp and Training Camp through the CFL’s QB Internship Program. This unique program allows local U Sports quarterbacks to train with professional teams before they are eligible to be drafted the summer after their final university season ends. Notable alumni of this program include Taylor Elgersma of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and Tre Ford of the CFL’s Edmonton Elks.
Vreeken couldn’t provide a statement to The Journal in time for publication. Vreeken will be entering his final season as a Gaelthis fall—where he’s projected to start at quarterback after two injury-plagued years.
All three Gaels are back in Kingston this fall, but their time in CFL camps is sure to give each of them a valuable boost as they chase three unique paths in professional Canadian football.
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