2014 Rush Training Camp Continues
December 2, 2013 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB---They knocked the rust off, got down to business, and started putting everything into place.
It may have seemed like a lot to accomplish during the first sessions of training camp, but the Edmonton Rush put a lot on their plate this past weekend as preparation for the 2014 National Lacrosse League season got under way at the Leduc Recreation Centre and Rexall Place. But despite the lofty expectations of the first camp, things went exceedingly well.
"I'm extremely happy. We made a lot of progress and I think we accomplished a lot," said assistant coach Jeff McComb.
"We wanted to get to systems right away. We've really only got a couple weekends till the first game so every session is important especially when you're mostly a fly-in team like we are."
Of course, there were dips and valleys, ebbs and flows throughout the extended camp but McComb and fellow assistant coach and former Rush captain Jimmy Quinlan sought and found a great tempo.
After running through drill after drill, the coaches and players welcomed the chance to put their systems to the test in an intrasquad game at Rexall Place. McComb came away from that outing particularly impressed with a couple of the Rush's burgeoning stars.
"Not just in the game, but the whole weekend I thought Robert Church was great," said McComb of Edmonton's first-round pick in the 2013 NLL Entry Draft.
"He can certainly play in the NLL right now. And I thought Curtis Knight was very good, and he looked a lot bigger and stronger. Obviously our back-end guys like Chris Corbeil, Kyle Rubisch, and Brett Mydske were all impressive."
So too, added McComb, was reigning NLL Rookie of the Year Mark Matthews, who spent much of the summer working on his overall fitness level. His hard work was evident despite a slight injury suffered during Thanksgiving weekend at the camp of the Canadian national team.
For Corbeil, the weekend was the first opportunity he had to implore his own brand of leadership as the Rush's new team captain.
"It's a tremendous honor and it's also very big shoes to fill because Jimmy was a fantastic captain and a great leader," noted Corbeil.
"It was a bit intimidating at first and I had that conversation with (head coach) Derek Keenan and we talked about how things were going to change. And in all honesty, we figured out that things weren't going to change all that much. I have to be a bit more vocal in the dressing room but I was a leader on defense and within the team this past season and I'm still going to rely on all the other leaders."
On top of more interviews, Corbeil's other related duties when it comes to his captaincy include roll call on the bus, organizing team outings, and ceremonial faceoffs. But he's enjoyed all of it so far especially after coming away from the first weekend of training sensing that the upcoming edition of the Rush seems focused on success.
"What I was able to take away from this group of guys was that they're ready to compete and play with intensity," said Corbeil.
"We wanted to play with intensity right now because we want the intensity of training camp to match the kind of start to the season we want. Part of failures the last couple seasons was not playing with intensity off the start of the year and we ended up playing catch up. A lot of that problem was attributed to have a too-laid back kind of camp.
"From the leadership group of the team and the coaches we all agreed we need to have that high level of intensity in training camp so that we could come out flying to start the season."
The second training camp session will be hosted in Six Nations, ON the weekend of December 12-15. The team will take to the floor in an exhibition scrimmage against east divisional rivals Buffalo Bandits, Saturday, December 14 at Noon.
2014 Rush Training Camp
Thursday, December 12-Sunday, December 15
Thursday, December 12
10:00am - 11:30am ILA Six Nations
2:00pm - 3:30pm ILA Six Nations
Friday, December 13
10:00am - 11:30am ILA Six Nations
2:00pm - 3:30pm ILA Six Nations
Saturday, December 14
12:00am - 1:30pm Exhibition Scrimmage Game vs Buffalo Bandits ILA Six Nations (Open to Fans, free charge)
Sunday, December 15
9:00am - 11:00am ILA Six Nations
The Rush 2014 season starts Saturday, December 28 on the road in Denver, CO against divisional rivals Colorado Mammoth.
The Rush season home opener is set for Saturday, January 11, 2014, 7:00 pm on Crystal Glass Field at Rexall Place against Colorado Mammoth.
Rush fans will see Georges St-Pierre, Georges "Rush" St-Pierre, also known as "GSP," a Canadian professional mixed martial artist and world champion as well as a three-time Canadian Athlete of the Year at the season home opener.
"Georges St-Pierre will stand alongside our team, behind the Rush bench, for what promises to be a powerful start to the Rush 2014 season."
Rush fans will have the opportunity to meet GSP at half-time through contesting opportunities during the first half of the game.
Season tickets, mini-pack and single game tickets for the 2014 Rush Season are available by calling the Rush Office at 780 732-RUSH.
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- 2014 Rush Training Camp Continues - Edmonton Rush
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