THE Chelmsford Chieftains are looking good in pre-season training according the head coach Gary Clarke.
The team returned to the ice this week ahead of today's first pre-season fixture against Sutton Sting as they look to improve on last season's runner-up position in the English National Ice Hockey League Division One South.
"Everyone is upbeat and excited and it should be a good campaign," said Clarke.
"I've been surprised by the fitness levels of the local guys.
"First and foremost our average age is 25, so everyone's fit anyway, everyone's active, everyone's involved in sport outside of hockey, so that's all good.
"We have quite a few guys that are fitness instructors and they're in the gym an awful lot."
With overseas players Tibor Schneider and Julius Sinkovic both set to arrive this week alongside Scotsman Mike McKay, Clark is pleased with the way his squad is shaping up but he's mindful that he's lost the experience of Tom Long, who has joined the marines, and Dwayne Newman, who has left to join MK Thunder as assistant coach.
"In terms of whether or not we think we're better than last year, I'm not sure," said Clarke.
"What I would say is that we're in a slightly different dimension. The one thing I felt we were lacking overall last year was size in our defence and I feel we've improved that.
"I would like to think that we've got some very talented players offensively that can put the puck away and create great scoring opportunities.
"I also felt we were missing a bit of grit up front last year but with what we've brought in we've got more hockey players with a lot more grit. The size and the grit was what I wanted to achieve and I think I've done that. What I may have lost is the experience and I'm relying on some of the younger guys to step up."
Clarke knows that with several changes in the close season it could take some time of the new faces to gel.
"There's quite a few new guys," he said.
"They're new to the country and they've got quite a bit of adapting to do and learning in terms of the types of systems and the types of hockey that I want us to play.
"So we have got to get used to each other as teammates and line-mates. On top of that there are systems that I want to play when we go into games; they will be the two main elements along with the fitness levels.
"When you've been off the ice for so long you do tend to get a bit rusty. It's just getting used to feeling a puck again, getting around and getting the conditioning right. Next week we'll go into more tactics and be properly ready for the weekend."
