By Robb Fenton
With workouts becoming more intense and the players beginning to round into shape, it’s time for the Lloydminster Accurate Machining Reapers to hit the field.
The Reapers are in final preparations this week and are ready to begin the 2010 season this weekend at home against the Saskatoon Badgers.
“We kick off against the Badgers, so it’ll be nice. We’re starting a little bit earlier this year, so the numbers aren’t quite out yet that we would like to have, but the 25 or 30 guys that have been out are ready to hit. They’re excited about getting the season underway,” Reapers captain Shaine Wald said.
There is no lack of motivation for the Reapers this season.
After improving and progressing every year, they finally broke through with a near-perfect year last season, only to fall in the championship game, which ended a story-book season on a bad note.
The team now has redemption on their minds.
“The way the Div. I season ended last year in the playoffs, it wasn’t quite the story we were looking for, the guys have a bit of a sour taste in their mouths and we’re ready to kick it off,” Wald said.
While Wald and the team don’t necessarily plan on repeating last season win for win, they do have their goals set high and with the players they have on this year’s squad, there’s not reason to think otherwise.
“We do always have top spot in our eyes. If you go into a season not looking at number or the provincial title, you’re in the wrong sport. We have high expectations,” he explained.
With a lot of work to be done to get to where they want to be, Wald said the team has already made some adjustments, learning from past seasons and experiences.
“We’re a little bit behind in the fitness department, so we’ve changed our fitness schedule, so we’re looking to start off a little slower, I think we peaked a little too soon,” he admitted of last season. “We’re looking to define little things at the beginning and it’s not so much about the final score in the end, we just want to make sure we’re peaking at the right time this year.”
The early games of the season are a measuring stick so the team can hit a high in the playoffs.
There is always some turnover and while the Reapers expect it, it is always tough to lose teammates.
That being said, Wald is confident in the players that are coming back, as well as the new players stepping into the lineup.
“We’re a little upset we did lose some players over the off-season. Just some guys that are getting older and decided to put away the rugby shoes,” he said. “We are definitely going to miss the guys that did move on, but on the other the hand, the guys that are returning like Kili (Mikaele), Jeff Noble, Joel Bolton, Dwayne Lessner and Steve Wytrykusz, we’ve got guys lined up with talent, so having those guys back is a huge step for team.”
The Reapers welcome the Badgers to E.S. Laird School Saturday with play beginning at 2 p.m.