HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. – The Colorado Mammoth were the first NLL team to commence training camp, in preparation for their home opener against the Edmonton Rush on Dec. 28.
Colorado brought a 30-man roster into this weekend’s training camp. The Mammoth’s 2013 draft class features five rookies, including third overall pick Dillon Ward.
“Dillon Ward had a very good weekend. We’re very excited about his future,” Mammoth head coach Bob Hamley said following the conclusion of the weekend’s camp.
The former All-American net minder out of Bellarmine University led the NCAA in save percentage (.662) in 2013 in the outdoor game, but questions remained as to how he would transition to box lacrosse.
But a summer stint with the K-W Kodiaks in Major Series Lacrosse has helped Ward to adjust to the game. “The guys are a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, a little bit faster,” Ward said of his transition from the collegiate ranks.
The rookie not only impressed the coaches but also staple veteran John Grant Jr., who crossed paths with Ward as an adversary in the MSL with the Peterborough Lakers.
“I played against him this summer up north and the guy was a wall. I think he beat our team three out of four games and they had no business even being close,” said Grant.
Ward joins a corps of goaltenders which includes last year’s starter Tye Belanger and Dan Lewis, who rotated in and out of the lineup last season. Despite losing favor to Belanger last season, Lewis looked strong in the weekend activities.
Offensively, the coaches were impressed by free agent signing Drew Westervelt. The 6-foot-5 forward had tallied over 30 goals in four of the past five seasons with the Philadelphia Wings before joining the Mammoth. “We knew he was good, we just didn’t realize how good,” Hamley said.
It will be interesting to see how Westervelt meshes into an offense without the aid of teammate Brendan Mundorf, whom he has developed a longtime on-field rapport with in both the indoor and outdoor games.
One dark horse candidate on the Mammoth’s offense in 2014 could be forward Adam Jones. The former NLL Rookie of the Year showed looks of both determination and improvement in camp.
In Sunday’s session, Jones scored acrobatic goals both by flying through the crease (à la Brian Langtry) and behind the back while falling down. It wasn’t all flash however, Jones also showed patience in finding open shots with defenders on his back.
On the defensive end, the Mammoth coaching staff was very high on third-year player Dan Coates.
“He’s fit coming off of a Mann Cup,” commented Hamley.
In the transition, the Mammoth hope to wear down opponents with speed. It’s an apt strategy, considering the altitude advantage Colorado holds over its opponents, but one that has gone to the wayside in recent years.
“Team speed is something we work on very hard,” explained Hamley. “When you look at the Creighton Reids, the Jackson Deckers, Dan Coates…the list goes on and on. Our team speed is the best we’ve ever had.”
The Mammoth will rest before traveling to continue camp activities in Toronto on Dec. 6.
