By: Scott Zerr
EdmontonRush.com

With 10 years of National Lacrosse League experience under his belt, it would seem hard to imagine that Chris Gill would come across something new.

Yet in his first training camp with the Edmonton Rush, Gill has discovered a fresh approach to the start of a new year.

"It's not a typical camp where you're just working on skills and running drills," explained Gill. "We're already working on concepts and with the way we're picking things up, it almost feels like we're three or four weeks ahead of the other teams."

At this point last year, Gill was hip-deep in the rigors of the Colorado Mammoth's camp where numerous practices are jammed into just a few days.

"There are chances for the guys to bond at the hotel but it really felt like camp dragged on and guys got injured," recalled Gill. "The thing I like about the Rush camp is we're working on game situations and everything is moving at a really good tempo."

Gill was one of the Rush's key off-season acquisitions, coming to Edmonton in a deal with the Chicago Shamrox. Both Gill and fellow Rush newcomer Dan Stroup helped the Mammoth win the NLL Champion's Cup last season but were then made available in the 2006 Expansion Draft.

Gill, who is a firefighter with the Vancouver Fire Department in Pitt Meadows, is hoping his first year with the Rush is as productive as his lone season in Colorado was. Following a frustrating year with the Calgary Roughnecks in 2005, Gill rebounded with a 29-goal season in Denver, giving him 265 career markers in 131 NLL regular-season games.

That kind of offensive production is primarily why the Rush traded for Gill. But another key component to Gill's presence in the Rush lineup is the kind of leadership that comes from a decade in the pro game.

"The team wasn't successful in terms of wins and losses last year and they went and looked to upgrade things," said Gill. "I think the goal for us is to take the first five games of the season and if we can get two or three wins we can go from there. I think we have the character to follow up on something like that, but it's going to be baby steps."

Coach's Corner

"Things are right where we expected," was how Rush GM/Head Coach Paul Day summed up the first weekend of full training camp.

But in almost every way the Rush are looking much better than at any time during the 2006 season.

"We're very much improved," added Day. "We're moving the ball more and offensively we're getting into a good structure which is creating some really good chemistry already."

The revamped power play: During Saturday's workout at the Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert, the Rush No. 1 PP unit featured newcomers Ryan O'Connor and Jason Wulder at the top, Chris Gill down low and Kevin Howard and Jimmy Quinlan working the wings.

"The main thing is that we're now moving the ball so well that no one wants to shoot. So we explained to them that they have to shoot first and look to pass second."

Fitness factor: The most noticeable differences in the physical department are a slimmed down Buck Stobart, a bulked up Randy Daly and tough guy Kyle McEwen not hobbling around on crutches. But the Rush's fitness goes further than that.

"Last year, a lot of first-year guys were given opportunities and they came to camp in good shape and we were a very fit team," said Day. "But our fitness is up substantially from that this year."

Fresh faces: While there are just a few holes to fill on the Rush roster, a number of candidates are in the mix.

"Some of the young guys we didn't expect to do as well and they've come to camp and really impressed," said Day. "There are going to be some tough decisions to make."