Brandon Benn had a strong pre season with the Toronto Rock, earning a spot on the team. The rookie’s performance will give him a shot at playing regularly with the injuries the team has suffered going into the season. We caught up with him to discuss the year ahead.
Marisa: How do you feel you have played this pre season?
Brandon: I feel like I played well this preseason. It was a bit of an adjustment switching from primarily field to playing box and especially playing at this level. It took a couple practices and the first pre season game to settle in and once I was able to do that I felt like I played pretty well. There is still always room for improvement though and I will make sure that I take the advice of my coaches and other veteran players around me so that I can continually try to improve my game.
Marisa: How do you feel about making the team?
Brandon: Making the team was definitely something special. My family has had season tickets to the Rock games since I was five years old. Ever since the first game I went to, it was always a goal and a dream of mine to one day maybe be able to put on the Rock jersey. Getting drafted and then making the team really is a dream come true and I couldn’t be more thrilled about the opportunity I now have.
Marisa: What strengths do you think the Rock have?
Brandon: I think one of our teams strengths is definitely the core group of veteran players that we have. Getting Brody Merrill in the off season to go along with his brother Pat, Josh Sanderson, Brandon Miller, guys who have won a lot in their careers. Their leadership is definitely something that the rest of the team, and especially rookies like myself, will benefit greatly from. I think another big strength is that with the tragic passing of Terry, the team has become that much closer and are now playing for something much larger than just the team, we are also playing for him. The coaches have made clear what Terry’s expectations have always been for this team and I think that they mean even more now that he is no longer with us. Its still something that is so hard to believe and I think that with this common goal, among others, will drive the team to make sure we work as hard as we possibly can for him.
Marisa: What have you learned in NLL pre season?
Brandon: I have already learned so much this pre season. The first thing would be the compete level. During training camp, you are competing for a spot with very good players all around you and you have to make sure you work as hard as you possibly can to try and help yourself stand out in the coaching staffs eyes. The next thing I have learned is that expectations are high and everyone is accountable. Due to the fact that you do not have many practices throughout the week prior to playing a game, you have to ensure you are doing things on your own to make sure you keep your skills sharp as well as staying in the best physical shape you can.
