Training Camp Opens Saturday

Published on November 12, 2008 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND, November 12, 2008 - It's been nearly six full months, but the Portland LumberJax finally return to action this Saturday during the first weekend of Training Camp. The Jax will practice from 7-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. at Indoor Goals in Beaverton. Both practices are open to the media and public.

After winning the West Division in 2008, Portland enters expecting a very competitive camp. Positions are at a premium as the team can only carry 23 players on its active roster. This will leave Head Coach/General Manager Derek Keenan and his staff with some difficult decisions in the coming weeks.

"We only have five weekends to set our roster," said Keenan. "Because of that, our goal as a staff is to get very close to our 23-man roster after this weekend."

"With that said, I expect camp to be the most competitive in team history," added Keenan. "We have a pretty good idea of who one through 18 or 19 will be, but there will be lots of healthy competition for the remaining spots."

Chemistry is also an intracle part of camp as the off-season acquisitions debut and work to blend in with the returning players. Highlighting the off-season was the acquisitions of forwards Dan Stroup and Matt Brown. Stroup scored 21 goals and added 21 assists last season for the Edmonton Rush. Brown scored three goals and added three assists last season in three games for the Colorado Mammoth.

Stroup has won four Champion's Cups and Brown appeared in the 2007 Champion's Cup with the Arizona Sting. Both players will add valuable experience and leadership.

The Jax were also very busy on draft day. In the First Round, Portland drafted forward Tim Campeau with the 12th Overall Selection. Campeau graduated from Notre Dame de Namur University as the school's career leader in goals scored (106), assists (128) and points (234). Campeau also played for the Coquitlam Adanacs in the Western Lacrosse Association, scoring 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) during the regular season.

Portland also selected transition player Matt Yager, defenseman Dayne Michaud and goalie Matt Flindell before the draft concluded.

"We're not going to a lot different than past camps," said Keenan. "The idea is to put the players in as many game situations as possible without having them over-scrimmage. We will also likely do some fitness testing to test the player's game shape at the beginning of camp."

The team also recently announced the hiring of two assistant coaches to round out Keenan's staff. Dallas Eliuk will coach the team's defense and Kevin Alexander will coach the offense. Eliuk has won four Champion's Cups and also serves as the team's Community Relations and Creative Design Director.

Alexander won two Champion's Cups with the 1992 and 1993 Buffalo Bandits and is also in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

"I am really excited to have Dallas and Kevin on the staff," said Keenan. "They both have great lacrosse minds and are even better people."

Training Camp continues on November 22, December 6, 13 and 20. The Dec. 20th Training Camp will be held at the Rose Garden Arena and is for Jax Season Ticket holders only. To be invited to the Dec. 20th Training Camp, season tickets must be purchased by Dec. 5th. Season tickets can be reserved by calling the Jax ticket line at (503)797-9739.

"I am very excited to get going," said Keenan. "We have a very long off-season in the NLL, so everyone is itching to get back and defend our West Division Title."



National Lacrosse League Stories from November 12, 2008


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