VANCOUVER - Since
Shawn Olson was hired as head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds football team in January, the majority of the talk at Thunderbird Stadium has centered around changes he hopes to implement at his Alma mater.
The time for talk is almost at an end, however, with Olson set to lead his first T-Bird training camp which begins this Saturday. The first-time head coach could not be happier.
"We're really excited to get going with football. There are so many other things you end up doing as a head coach that it's nice to finally get down to business," says Olson.
"It's going to be a pretty typical training camp. We will be trying to get the guys in shape, implement our systems, and make some roster decisions," continued Olson. "One thing we are focusing on will be introducing our way of doing things which is part of the culture change we are trying to enact here."
Camp opens with two-a-day practices scheduled from Saturday, August 21 through to Sunday, August 29. The lone anomaly during that time frame is the Alumni game, which goes August 28 at 3:30 p.m. in place of the afternoon practice. For the first time in years, UBC's camp will be held entirely at Thunderbird Stadium thanks to the brand new turf field that was laid this summer.
Olson expects about 105 players to report, meaning there will be some difficult personnel decisions for the new coaching staff as they trim their roster. Although tough decisions loom, Olson believes the competitiveness will pay dividends down the road.
"Honestly it sounds cliched but every position is wide open. As a coaching staff we are going in with an open mind and will evaluate the talent we have at every position," says Olson. "Players have to be judged by how they perform and we are going to reward the guys who are doing what we are asking them to do. There has to be a bit of competitive tension in the roster which keeps guys from becoming complacent."
Even with all the anticipated competition, Olson sees another important role for the 14-day camp that wraps on September 3. He hopes that this group of T-Birds, despite all the new faces both on the field and the sidelines, are able to build a sense of team unity.
"That's the difference between the great teams and those that are just good," says Olson. "We have some expectations of our players in terms of performance and effort but we also want to see them develop the camaraderie necessary to excel as a group."
The T-Birds open their regular season at home on September 4 against the Alberta Golden Bears. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium.
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