Lumberjacks to Conduct Tryout Camp Next Week

The event, which consists of the Invite Camp and the Main Camp, will be conducted in its entirety at L.C. Walker Arena. The Invite Camp is Monday and Tuesday, while the Main Camp continues from Wednesday until Saturday.

A select few will advance from the Invite Camp to the Main Camp, where they will be joined by all 2012 Lumberjacks Futures and Entry Draft selections. There will be further cuts on Thursday and Friday, and the camp culminates with a pair of "all-star games" Saturday.

"The work of building a good team, the scouting and recruiting, is done," said Lumberjacks Owner/General Manager Josh Mervis. "Now we have to assess our team and select the members we believe give us the best chance to win a championship."

Camp activities will be mostly limited to controlled games, which will be open to the public. Following camp, the Lumberjacks must submit a 25-man roster to the USHL no later than July 1. That group of 25 players will return to Muskegon in late summer for Training Camp.

"It's the first tangible step toward a Clark Cup championship," Mervis said. "This camp is very important, but it's only the midpoint of the beginning of a team. A lot can happen over the summer.

"Our staff will work with the players to ensure they are on their training regimen and working at becoming faster and stronger."

While the Jacks drafted a total of 23 players born from 1992 to 1996 during May, the reality of June is roster spots are not guaranteed. Undrafted camp invitees have a real chance to make an impact, much like last year's Muskegon captain Carter Foguth, who made the team as a free agent two years ago.

Mervis, Head Coach Jim McKenzie, Senior Advisor Ron Mason, Assistant Coaches Dave Noel-Bernier and Steve Palmer, and Lumberjacks scouts will be looking for all participating players to make positive impressions during Tryout Camp.

Mervis offered a few suggestions for aspiring Lumberjacks seeking to stand out.

"Simply put, they need to play hard and compete," he said. "At this level, players should know what they are good at. They need to do what they do well and minimize what they don't."

The Tryout Camp game schedule is as follows (all at L.C. Walker Arena):

Monday, June 11: 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 12: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13: 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 14: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

Friday, June 15: 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. 3 p.m., 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 16: "All-star games" at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

(Read more on the Lumberjacks' Futures and Entry Drafts.)

The Lumberjacks have reduced the price of season ticket plans for the 2012-13 campaign to just $200! That's an average of only $6.25 for each of next season's 32 home contests, but the offer only lasts until June 16. Contact the Jacks' ticket office at 231.724.JACK for more information.

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United States Hockey League Stories from June 7, 2012

• Stampede Netminder Charlie Lindgren Commits to St. Cloud State - Sioux Falls Stampede
• Lumberjacks to Conduct Tryout Camp Next Week - Muskegon Lumberjacks

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