Offensive Coordinator Neale McMaster was very pleased with how the team has come together during this off-season’s training camps so far.
The second non-residential camp of the winter took place in Bedford this past weekend, and was attended by over 50 players across the two days.
Commenting on the sessions, McMaster said:
Offensively, I thought we had a terrific second camp, not just in terms of installing plays, but coming together as a team and a family.
We’ve spent a lot of time together as an offense over the past two camps – over 36 hours – and I really started to notice a difference on Sunday evening’s practice.
We’ve developed the offense and guys have picked it up so quickly, we’ve made the leap now from correcting basic playbook knowledge to correcting technique and minor details, and that normally doesn’t happen until later in the season so it’s pleasing to see that happening so early.
In particular I’ve been impressed with how well our senior players have taken to mentoring our younger rookies, and how much our rookies have progressed in a few camps.
That kind of bond is what makes championship teams, and I’m hoping to see a big performance from our offense in what should be a good test against the Kent Exiles on Sunday.
This weekend the team welcome Kent Exiles to Bedford International Athletics Stadium for a controlled scrimmage, which gives rookies and first-year players valuable game day experience, and an opportunity to embed what has been learnt during the pre-season so far.
As a result of this weekend’s scrimmage there is no practice for the senior team on Sunday. Youth Team training will take place at BIAS on Sunday afternoon between 1 and 3pm.