The road to defending as Canalta Cup champions begins this week at training camp for the Battlefords North Stars. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Back at it

Familiar faces, new Stars converge as North Stars training camp begins

Aug 30, 2019 | 11:48 AM

With the first game of the pre-season just three days away, and the season opener looming just under two weeks later, the Battlefords North Stars return to the Civic Centre for training camp this weekend.

For some, like Stars’ forward Austin Becker, this week will mark their first days back in the Battlefords, since locker cleanout day last season.

Becker, who had the furthest trek of any returning North Stars’ player, travelled just under 1,700 km from Amery, Wisconsin.

He said while it was nice to head back home for a few months, returning for camp is something he had on his mind throughout the summer.

“Summer went pretty quick, [but] I am just looking forward to start playing again,” he said. “As a hockey player you miss that in the summer. By late July it kind of gets boring just sitting there waiting, so I am ready to get playing again.”

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Just under 70 players are attending the Stars’ man camp this weekend. Another 25 to 30 will take part in the team’s prospect camp which will run adjacent to the main camp starting Friday, and carry on throughout the week at the Civic Centre.

The team kicked off their training camp Thursday evening with check-in and fitness testing for each of the four main camp teams.

Friday morning training camp began in full swing, with the rookie camp check-in at 10, followed by practice sessions for both the rookie and main camps running from the late morning to mid-afternoon.

At 3:15 p.m. will be Game 1 of the rookie camp. The first two games of main camp will begin at 6 and 7:30 p.m. respectively.

One of the hopefuls to make the team out of camp this year is goaltender Austin Schwab.

The Schwab surname may sound familiar to many in the community. Austin’s dad Corey is from North Battleford, and played his minor hockey in the community before going on to play nearly 150 games at the NHL level.

Austin said coming to camp to compete for a job playing in his father’s hometown makes the experience something special. He said his father’s advice to him heading into his first camp with the Stars was simple.

“My dad was telling me just go out there and give my best,” he said. “That is what I have been training for all summer, [the chance to] go out and let my abilities do the work.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1