“Next year” has finally arrived.

The 2011 Canadian Football League campaign officially got under way on Thursday morning at McMahon Stadium with the start of Calgary Stampeders rookie camp. In addition to all the draftees and free-agent recruits, the quarterbacks — including veterans Henry Burris and Drew Tate and freshmen Brad Sinopoli and Steven Gachette — showed up for work.

As you would expect from a first workout, especially with so many players getting their first taste of the Canadian game, the coaches were busy as they ran players though their drills.

All in all, the boss was quite please with the start.

“It was a nice morning and there was a lot of enthusiasm out there,” remarked head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “It’s a starting point and we’ll progress from here.”

With rookie camp lasting only two days — the veterans take the field on Sunday — the newcomers need to make a fast and favourable first impression.

“I want to see skill, obviously,” said Hufnagel. “I also want to see them be able to take what they learned in the classroom and apply it on the field, and to do it quickly. There’s been a bunch of information thrown at them, they came out on the field and we’ll have our work cut out for us in our next meeting. But it was a good start.”

After a lunch break and meetings, the players will be back on the field at 4 p.m. this afternoon.

More from Day 1

>> Locker-Room Blog: Jared Manchulenko
>> Video: Anthony Parker
>> Photo gallery
>> Brad Sinopoli feature