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Phantoms coach impressed his players skipped ‘Fat Club’
Phantoms coach is impressed his players skipped ‘Fat Club’
By Tom Williams
BOARDMAN
When last season’s 17-37-6, 40 point season ended, Youngstown Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen told players who would be returning that waiting until September to get into shape was not in their best interests.
Message received.
After Thursday’s training camp practice at The Ice Zone, Noreen admitted he’s impressed with how the players reported.
“The energy has been awesome, said Noreen, who’s conducting his fourth training camp as head coach. “The conditioning level that the guys came in with overall was far and away the best we’ve ever had as a team.
“[There’s] not even a close second with any of our other groups as far as how good of shape these guys came in,” Noreen said. “We’ve traditionally always had a ‘Fat Club’ of guys who needed a little extra conditioning.
“This year, [the message] was, ‘Hey, if you’re in the Fat Club, you’re not going to be allowed on the ice.’
“They did their work in the offseason [so camp] has been pretty competitive so far,” Noreen said. “We expect it to be even more so as the games approach.”
The Phantoms have 27 players in camp competing to make the team’s 23-man roster. Defenseman Alex Carle is not one of them — he remains in Anchorage, Alaska, recovering from surgery.
Tommy Parran and Matt Miller are the two defenders back from last season. Parran, who spent part of his summer hiking and skiing in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, said Noreen’s message resonated.
“We had our physical testing [Tuesday] and Coach says we have the fittest group they’ve ever had,” Parran said. “You can tell by the confidence in the weight room.
“You can tell these guys are in shape and they all are serious, which is great to see.”
How did it happen?
“I think Coach instilled, not necessarily fear but motivation at the end of the season that he had a certain expectation that we had to reach,” Parran said. “He said if we didn’t reach [those goals], then playing time would definitely be affected.
“That really helped as the guys kicked it in gear and had a good summer.”
As practice ended, the outside temperature was in the mid-80s.
“We had to deal with some fog problems,” forward Kyle Connor said. “Sometimes you can’t even see the other guy on the ice, but it’s good to be out there.”
On Monday, the Phantoms will get a chance to show their skills with an exhibition game against the Johnstown Tomahawks of the North American Hockey League.
They team will travel to Green Bay, Wis., on Sept. 14 for the USHL’s Fall Showcase.
The team will announce its final roster before the USHL season opens on Sept. 27 when the Phantoms play Team USA in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“It’s just great to have a new year, a fresh start,” Noreen said.