As the 2018 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League season gets underway tomorrow night (April 27) for the Tier One Junior "B" Rockyview Silvertips, Manager Todd Halladay is hoping for good things from the young club.  

 

"We're expecting better things this year with this group than last.  We think we've got overall a more talented group depth wise with some of the rookies we've brought in and we're a little more shored up on our back end with our goalies.  We are expecting some pretty big things.  Our pre-season has been a lot of learning with the new kids, trying to figure out the systems and trying to let them run with it.  We're showing some really good things."

Halladay says the Silvertips are going into the season with a young lineup.  "We're probably losing three guys to the Junior "A" ranks and they're pretty veterans guys from our team last year.  We are a little bit young."

According to Halladay, this year's lineup is about a 60-40 mix of veterans to rookies.  "Most of the returning vets are only in their second year.  We're primarily first and second-year players.  We have one fifth-year player and a couple of third-year players and really no fourth-year players.  We're definitely on the young side."

The team is working closely with the expansion Tier Two team, the Rockyview Rage and has a number of players they're developing with that club.  

Halladay believes the Silvertips strength starts at the goaltender position.  "We've got some solid goaltending.  One of our rookies is a top-notch goaltender who came out of the midget league.  Our returning veteran goalie is another great goalie."

Halladay says that one advantage for the Silvertips is the addition of Head Coach Tyler Waycott who comes to the club from the Midget ranks where he's coached several of the players before.

"Tyler came out of the B.C. system playing lacrosse so he's very, very skilled and knowledgeable.  He worked with the Rockyview Rage Minor Midgets last year and did a fantastic job with them so we're pretty excited to have his knowledge come on our floor and help our boys develop and grow with the game.  The nice thing about Tyler, he's worked with several of the boys in the past.  They've got a good working relationship and the veterans seem to really buy into him."

The Silvertips start the season on the road tomorrow night, taking on the Calgary Chill at the Brentwood Arena in Calgary.  They're on the road for five straight games before their first home encounter on Friday, May 11th when they play the Chill again as part of the Major League Lacrosse Showcase, a weekend-long event taking place at the Plainsman Arena in Airdrie.  The remainder of the team's home games will be played at the Spray Lakes Totem One Arena in Cochrane. 

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