Review of Minnesota Swarm Training Camp - St. Paul Version

December 3, 2006

The Swarm finally made it back to town this weekend. At Corner Kick in Maplewood, there were twenty-five players in attendance throughout the weekend as they were put through their paces. It was the first time for fans to see our new Head Coach, Duane Jacobs. All camp watchers were definitely impressed by Jacobs who ran practice very well. He was able to get the players to increase their intensity throughout the weekend especially by last night when the team scrimmaged. Jacobs puts a premium on having the players exert all they have throughout every moment of practices and games. If that was not the case, he let them know it.

I think fans will see the defense ratchet up the intensity even more than last year which was rather high to begin with. Defense and applying pressure while doing it, was emphasized strongly throughout the weekend. I believe the one player who definitely stood out this weekend was Jon Sullivan. He was always in position and continually foiling the player he was on. No one had an answer for him the whole weekend.

All three goaltenders were solid throughout the weekend. Many of us after this weekend, believe that Marty O’Neill made a shrewd draft-day move to draft Kevin Croswell. Croswell, whose brother Brian plays for the Rochester Knighthawks, more than held his own against both Matt Disher and Nick Patterson. He has great size and moves very well in net with it. My only concern with the goaltenders is if Patterson will be able to remember to remove all his face piercings in time for the game. It is quite a sight.

The offense is a bit tough to gage this weekend. They were some forwards not here this weekend that will play an important part on offense this year and that maybe the reason for my hesitation. Ryan Ward was cranking a lot of hard and accurate shots from long range and it will be interesting to see who between Spencer Martin and Rory McDade will get the most play on the left side near the crease as both performed well this weekend.

All the players looked in great shape this weekend. It looked like Jacobs was emphasizing a bit more of two-way play so the players have no choice other to be extremely fit. A few said they had injuries during the summer but all of those players said that those issues are in the past and they looked more than ready to go for the season.

For Six Nations fans, Dave Ellis, Eli Hill and Kyle Jamieson are with the Swarm and were in the Twin Cities this weekend. I have to admit I thought that Ellis was Kevin Milkowski on Friday and called him Kevin that day. Irregardless, all three were ferocious on the floor this weekend as they went to prove to the coaches that they belong. It was a pleasure to meet all three this weekend.

On Saturday, all the players had their photos taken after the Saturday afternoon practice for the roster on the website. According to Swarm staff, the roster page on the website will be updated this upcoming week. Also, all the players were interviewed for in-game scoreboard messages. They were all asked three questions, one of which is a lie, then a second take was filmed in which the players divulged which of the three was a lie.

Channel 45 in the Twin Cities was out on Friday to do interviews for what I hope will lead to them showing games on TV. I would say that channel is the best bet to get the Swarm on local TV. Also, the local NBC affiliate, KARE-11, had Ryan Ward, Matt Disher and Andrew Biers on the Saturday morning Today-like show. Unfortunately, I didn’t read Wildheadtatt’s email telling me so before the show was on. However, he says the show went well and Ward mentioned to us that KARE-11 sports broadcaster, Eric Perkins, will take a shift for the Swarm probably during the home opener on January 13th, 2007 against the Chicago Shamrox.

The Swarm in the next two weekends have exhibition games in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Victoria, British Columbia. Marty is playing the players from out east in Winnipeg and the players from out west in Victoria. That is a general guideline with some exceptions as a few, as Riley Kemp puts it, “the key players”, will play in both games.

In closing the weekend, it is most definitely the “most wonderful time of the year” as crooner Andy Williams puts it, with the Swarm back in town to alleviate the malaise of not seeing your favorite team and my favorite team, the Minnesota Swarm since April 23rd, 2006. Also, it was a pleasure to reacquaint one’s self with numerous fans of the team who came out to see the team at Corner Kick.