STEAMWHEELERFANS.COM SPECIAL PLAYOFF COVERAGE

Article:  2008 Training Camp Report - Day 14                                         Date:  March 21, 2008 By:  Gary Stibolt, Staff Writer

..... While I was unable to physically attend practice this morning myself, the report is it was a good practice.  Special teams was the focus today.  All week long they have taken advantage of being in the arena with special teams play and using the boards and nets.  Kicker, Derek Pearson is kicking really well.  He has a strong leg and has been pretty accurate from mid-field.  I haven't seen him attempt anything beyond that myself...yet. One thing I've noticed, there are a lot of similar habits in practice with coach Shon King this year that were a part of the culture in 2000 and 2001 seasons.  He remembers 2000 and the work ethic the team had back then.  He wants to bring that back.  Both coach Biladeau and King had a lot of mentors and they both were a part of the Frank Haege championship era.  While the recruiting tactics have changed and the playing field are more parallel now, the work habits, manerisms, and focus are there that gave us two titles before. Following the practice this morning, the Steamwheelers Fan Club provided a hot breakfast for the team.  While the players enjoyed fresh fruit, cereal, muffins, bagels, with milk and juice after each practice in camp, the fan club provided a great smorgasboard of various types of bacon and sausage (beef, pork, and turkey), scrambled eggs with cheese, fried eggs, omelets, pancakes, creamed eggs, hash browns, sausage gravy with biscuits, toast, muffins, and milk and juice.  The breakfast was held at the team's headquarters and the staff helped re-arrange the office and setup tables and a cooking area.  One fan even brought a grill to help cook outside.  It turned out to be a great event and an even greater show of support for the team.  Our fans are hungry for the season to start and the hot breakfast was a way to express thanks and support for our 2008 Steamwheelers. The following are fans who volunteered their time and/or resources to the breakfast (in no particular order). Larry Kleckner (with Marcia and Penny) Mike & Cindy Savely Darcy & Phil McBroom (daughter too) Natalie Nelsen Tony Vermeer Mike & Marcia Harkness Brenda Stibolt Charity Brinkley Jen Sisler (Portabellas) Ron Bloom Shelly Hoots Kris Leatherman Christina Hafner Mr. & Mrs. Mike Bealer I received a note from Coach Biladeau and he asked me to publish his thanks to all the fans for their support of the team. "I would like to personally thank Gary Stibolt for coordinating this years "hot" breakfast for the team.  I would also like to thank all the fans who helped with this event.  You should have seen the players faces when Gary announced to the team earlier about the hot breakfast on Friday.  The players were excited.    One of the reasons I accepted this job was because of the great support from the fans of this city.  Kris Leatherman comes bright and early during training camp to set up breakfast for the guys after every practice.  What a great bunch of fans we have here in the QC."  ~ Troy Biladeau Camp is now officially over as the team will not practice over the holiday weekend.  The final roster will be determined by Monday and announced shortly thereafter.  The season opens next Friday at the i-Wireless Center when the af2 ArenaCup Runner-ups, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers return for battle.  Single game tickets are on sale at the i-Wireless Center Box Office.  Tailgating commences that day too...Finally! - End ..... .....

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