With a new naming sponsor recently announced the now-named Yorkton Secon Maulers held a spring camp on the weekend.
The camp included introducing the 96 players in attendance to the team’s latest head coach, former Yorkton Terrier star player, and coach, Ed Zawatsky who only arrived back in the city a couple of days ahead of camp, Mauler general manager Chad Korczak told Yorkton This Week.
With Korczak in the position of GM since earlier this year, and Zawatsky new to the coaching spot, the Maulers are looking to start from square one after finishing dead last in the Saskatchewan AAA Midget League standings this past season.
Korczak said there were only four players who graduated from last year’s roster, but added the roster is deemed much more open than that. He said given the team’s record very few positions were considered filled headed to the weekend camp.
The camp itself focused on the immediate need to rebuild a team that did not do well last season, so young Bantam age players were not part of the mix with attention placed on players most likely to play at the AAA Midget level in the fall, said Korczak.
“We wanted to get back to basics,” he said, “to have a camp for guys eligible to play this season.”
Having 96 players was almost ideal, said Korczak noting it allowed for six teams with three offensive lines, plus five, or six defencemen and two netminders, making evaluation easier.
Overall, Korczak said the camp was a good one to provide both he, and Zawatsky with a good first look at the talent that is available.
“It was more of an identification process to put the name to players,” he said.
There were a few players that have been offered spots, enough to provide a core “we could build around,” said Korczak.
Now Korczak and Zawatsky will be working with their contacts on player leads through the summer with an eye toward fall camp when the final roster will be filled out.
“There are quite a few spots available,” he said, reiterating “change had to happen.”
