The Victoria Shamrocks don鈥檛 want to become the Toronto Blue Jays of the 2013 Western Lacrosse Association 鈥� big on marquee-player signing hype but little else in the early going.
The Shamrocks, however, have a secret weapon on the bench 鈥� an assistant coach with as much cred in the game as newly-signed players such as Scott Ranger, Cory Conway and Matt Vinc who have Shamrocks faithful smelling a return to Mann Cup glory days.
Teams don鈥檛 win by just showing up, said Art Webster, who returns to the Shamrocks fold after three seasons as head coach of the WLA Island rival Nanaimo Timbermen.
鈥淵ou still have to put it on the floor,鈥� added Webster, as the Shamrocks opened training camp Monday at Bear Mountain Arena with an incomplete roster as several players are still with their pro NLL teams and others away at U.S. schools finishing off the NCAA field lacrosse season.
鈥淐hampionships aren鈥檛 won on paper,鈥� acknowledged Shamrocks GM Chris Welch.
That鈥檚 why the team is so high on Webster鈥檚 bench presence. He will run the offence and former Shamrock Jordan Sundher the defence, with former Rock Dave Lowdon the other assistant under head coach Bob Heyes.
鈥淐hemistry is a huge thing,鈥� said Heyes.
That鈥檚 what Webster could be crucial in channelling this season on a loaded Shamrocks roster. He has a wealth of experience in the NLL, as well, and is currently assistant coach of the Washington Stealth.
But come the summer WLA season, this is where he says he feels most comfortable after winning Mann Cups with the Shamrocks as a player in 1979 and 1983 and as assistant coach in 2003 and 2005.
鈥淭his is where I belong. This has truly been my lacrosse home since 1978 [the year he arrived from Ontario to being playing for the Shamrocks],鈥� said Webster, who has also been head coach of the Shamrocks.
鈥淲hen the opportunity arose to come back to the Rocks, why wouldn鈥檛 I? I eat, drink and sleep green and white.鈥�
Heyes said he listens with ears wide open to his assistants.
鈥淎rt is responsible for the offence but I鈥檓 not going to say 鈥榥o鈥� when he notices something on defence,鈥� said the head coach.
鈥淚鈥檒l take all his expertise and knowledge.鈥�
Webster likes the collaborative approach.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all working together as a staff,鈥� he said.
鈥淎t the end of the day, Bob [Heyes] has the last say. But we鈥檒l reach those decisions as a collective coaching staff.鈥�
The Shamrocks open the 2013 campaign May 17 at Bear Mountain Arena against the Coquitlam Adanacs.
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