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Elecs gearing up for training camp

Estevan Minor Football's teams are already on the field and next week, the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs will join them. The Elecs will have equipment pick-up on Aug. 18 and training camp begins the next day.
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More than 40 players attended the Elecs' spring camp in June.


Estevan Minor Football's teams are already on the field and next week, the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs will join them.

The Elecs will have equipment pick-up on Aug. 18 and training camp begins the next day.

Head coach Marco Ricci said 45 players are on the list from spring camp and he expects a few more to show up.

He said the schedule will be comprised largely of learning the playbook and two-a-day practices.

"We want to cover our angles and do our fundamentals and skillwork in the beginning and move to the systems later on," he said.

Ricci said the roster is looking good in terms of quantity at each position, although he's hoping to see lots of linemen in camp.

"The O-line and D-line, you always hope will be a large group, because it's easier to do things in practice. Other than that, most areas are pretty darn good."

The area of greatest turnover will be in the defensive backfield.

"With our defence, we're probably going to be looking at a whole new group of linebackers. We have a couple of young guys in there so we'll have to make sure they're on board," Ricci said.

Aside from that, the receiving corps will get an injection of fresh blood. Ricci said he's excited about some of the receivers coming up from minor football.

The competition to keep an eye on will be the one at running back, which is still up in the air.

One of the biggest changes is on the coaching staff, where Randy Labrecque replaces Andrew Herrick, who left ECS, as offensive coordinator.

Ricci said one key to success this year is the fact that there will be better players on the bench, which should help the Elecs stay in games in the second half.

"This year more than any other, we have a lot more parity in their development. A lot of guys are really close to each other (on the depth chart)," Ricci said.

"We'll have a guy who starts but another who can go in right after him."

The Elecs start their regular season schedule with two games on the road, facing Swift Current on Sept. 1 and Vanier on Sept. 10.

Ricci said his team's improvement won't necessarily mean a jump in the standings.

"We will have improved, but all the teams will be a lot better with another year of maturity.

"No one lost too many players, so we're not thinking, 'This is our year.' This year is going to be as difficult as any year," he said.

With Dana Quewezance Memorial Field out of commission, possibly for more than two years, all games and practices will take place at the high school.