Sherrod Baltimore waits for next CFL stop, holds youth football camp

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While Sherrod Baltimore is patiently waiting for his next football-playing opportunity, he’s got his immediate sights on an event he’s become very attached to the past couple of years — the Sherrod Baltimore Family and Friends Day.

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It’s a youth football camp (April 28, 3-7 p.m., at TD Place) for players ages six to 18, with a DJ, music and food provided. Participants will meet, play (drills and games) and learn from their favourite Redblacks players, including Baltimore, a talented defensive back for Ottawa’s CFL team from 2017-23. There will also be pop-up shops (Baltimore says: “I want to have a day where you walk in and see the grill cooking and you can smell the barbecue, the chicken, the hamburgers”), guest speakers and each participant will get a T-shirt.

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Oh, and it’s all free.

With a huge helping hand from the Redblacks and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, Baltimore started the camp in 2022.

Anybody wanting to sign up can go to ottawaredblacks.com or find Sherrod on Instagram.

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The 31-year-old has a soft spot not only for Ottawa, but for the younger football players. An American (from Maryland), Baltimore is now one of Ottawa’s own. He knows what the opportunity to be around the football field for a free camp can mean. It could be life changing for some.

“It really is all about the kids; I’ll keep doing (this camp) forever,” said Baltimore. “I don’t want to stop. I love Ottawa. It’s a community camp as much as it’s a football camp. It gives kids a chance to get out of the house and come (to the stadium) and see what’s going on. Maybe the kids see something, maybe they hear something, maybe they decide they like football.

“Imagine, the kids can come to TD Place, get free food, free drinks and hang out with football players … and they don’t have to pay anything.”

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The Redblacks are on board with the event and it’s expected there will be more than 20 CFL players on hand to help.

Still unsigned, Baltimore is looking for a CFL home for this season. He says there’s been interest from around the league, but no contract offer yet.

“I’m training. My agent told me to be patient,” said Baltimore. “It’s a different type of off-season for me. I’m still hungry, I’m ready to go.

“Teams are saying they want to see different guys (in camp). I’m confident in myself. I’m still young, I can play for a few more years. I’m not going to close the door anywhere. I’m letting my agent deal with it. I’m not going to worry about it. It’s like it’s been my whole career; I tell myself, it gets greater later.”

Outside of football, Baltimore is busy — as a businessman. He owns Clean Dream Services (www.cleandreamservices.com), a cleaning company. He has 10 employees.

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“I can juggle that (with football),” he said. “We’re taking on commercial, industrial and residential. We’re trying to clean every building, every house in Ottawa. I’m learning how to be a CEO; it’s a different business than football.”

MARSHALL RETURNS TO OTTAWA: The Redblacks made if official Wednesday; as reported by Postmedia on Tuesday, Greg Marshall has been hired to be the team’s defensive line coach. After being selected (out of Oregon State) in the seventh round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Marshall, a defensive lineman, played all nine years of his CFL career in Ottawa — 1980-1988 — and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1983.

Marshall, who is now 67, became head coach of two Ottawa teams — the Sooners and Bootleggers — then had CFL jobs with Saskatchewan (he was the Roughriders’ head coach for half of the 2011 season), Edmonton, Ottawa (2005 as the defensive line coach/defensive co-ordinator of the Renegades), Winnipeg and Hamilton. 

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After being the defensive co-ordinator at Queen’s (2014-17), he was hired by the University of Toronto as the team’s head coach in 2018. The Blues parted ways with him in November.

A year ago, he was added to the Wall of Honour at TD Place. 

VOTING FOR TOP 10: The Redblacks have announced the next fan vote contest in celebration of the club’s 10th anniversary season in 2024.

Already tasked with voting the top 10 players in team history, RNation can now vote on what they believe are the 10 best moments over a decade of Redblacks football.

Fans who enter the contest will have a chance to win a prize pack, including four tickets to the home opener, 10th anniversary merchandise and a pre-game sideline tour and player meet and greet for the winner and their guests.

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LEMON SAYS GOODBYE: Former Redblacks defensive lineman Shawn Lemon announced his retirement from the CFL Wednesday. The 35-year-old made a huge impact after signing with the Montreal Alouettes last season — he made 26 defensive tackles, with nine sacks, four knockdowns, two interceptions and a forced fumble that he returned for a touchdown.

In 148 CFL games, Lemon, who played for the Redblacks in the 2015 season, had 101 sacks.

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