Spring is here and that means the Bucs will kickoff their 2017 season soon. The crew has been busy prepping all off-season in order to make another run at the AFL championship.
Throughout the winter, the Bucs hosted indoor workouts in Red Deer’s Westerner. The team aimed at maintaining momentum from the 2016 season – a season that saw the Bucs win all the way to the championship game.
“Indoor workouts reduce some of the off-season rust and help us keep in touch on a social level,” said Buccaneer Vince Roth. “hanging out together keeps the brotherly bond alive which, ultimately, makes us a better team on the field.”
But now the off-season is coming to a close. On April 29th and 30th, the Bucs are hitting the turf for their annual spring camp. The two-a-day practices will see the returning and new players running through drills, systems, and conditioning.
“Our goals for spring camp are to create a good atmosphere for players while maintaining our competitive edge,” said team captain Mark Fay. “This year is about coming together as a collective and balling out with our brothers.”
When asked about the 2017 season as a whole, Fay added: “the team aims to remain among the top 3 teams in the league and, most importantly, have fun playing. In the last few years, it seems that we lost some of our Buc pride; this year is about restoring that culture and coming together as a team.”
In addition to on-field preparation, the Bucs have been an active force in the community all year. Players and family rolled up their sleeves in April for the team’s eleventh blood donation. “It’s a ton of fun donating – the ladies at [Red Deer Blood Services] are fantastic. Donating with buddies makes the needle a bit less scary,” laughed Todd Lewis.
For the month of May, the Bucs have the feature burger at Cilantro and Chive, the Blackbeard’s Delight Burger. “$2 from each burger goes to support CAWES (Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter), so I hope people go and get fed with that one,” said Roth.
The annual “Bucs Day to Tackle Hunger ” food drive is scheduled for May 13th in Lacombe. “This is our eighth year organizing and running the food drive; we’ve managed to raise approximately 3000 pounds of food each year,” said Fay. “We’re hoping to top that amount this year.” Players, staff, volunteers, and family will go door-to-door on the 13th and ask residents for non-perishable food items.
For more information on the Bucs, follow their twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as visit www.cabucs.com.
Source: Central Alberta Buccaneers
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