James Gemmell admits he still gets the jitters.
But last month’s national sledge hockey team training camp in Yellowknife, N.W.T. has taken the edge off those jitters and Gemmell is now anxious to face international competition.
“I’m feeling confident going in,” Gemmell said of the World Sledge Hockey Challenge, Nov. 27 – Dec. 3 in Calgary, Alta., that will see Gemmell and his teammate face off against teams from the United States, Norway and Japan.
“I think we have a good opportunity to have a good showing.”
With the tournament just days away, Gemmell is feeling confident and the national sledge hockey team coaches are glad to have Gemmell aboard.
“We know we can count on him,” coach of the national sledge hockey team, Mike Mondin said.
“Defensively, James is responsible and there’s a lot of trust in him.”
That is high praise and all the more impressive considering Gemmell spends most of his time training alone, without the benefit of training with other elite sledge hockey players.
“It’s hard to motivate yourself when you’re practicing alone,” Gemmell conceded.
That fact has not gone unappreciated by Mondin.
“It’s very impressive, especially because he trains alone,” Mondin said.
“I give him a lot of credit for that.”
Although he does his on-ice training alone for the most part, Gemmell has been doing fitness training with Heather Hartridge.
“She’s helped me out a lot,” Gemmell said.
Hartridge put Gemmell on a diet as well as a sledge hockey oriented training program which have led to impressive changes, Gemmell said, including a drop in weight, an increase in muscle mass and strength.
The increase in strength and speed, Gemmell said have allowed him to get to pucks quicker and to be stronger along the boards, both of which have led to improvements in his confidence and consequently his play.
“No question he gets to the puck quicker, which gives him more time and he’s making good decisions,” Mondin said.
“When you’re in good physical condition, it helps with your confidence.”
With the improvements in strength and quickness, Gemmell said he felt like he had a good training camp, which was by no means a walk in the park.
Each day, the players had two two-hour practice sessions and with arriving an hour ahead of time for each session, they spent six hours at the rink each day.
“We were either at the rink or at the hotel eating,” Gemmell said with a shake of the head.
The first order of business at training camp was fitness testing, which is where the coaching staff first realized Gemmell had been working hard since the selection camp in September.
From there, Gemmell explained, practices were devoted to every aspect of hockey, from puck control through to special teams.
To help players learn the plays, coaches provided each player with a manual with plays for a multitude of situations they would face during a typical game.
“We’re set up for strategies for every possible situation on the ice,” Gemmell explained.
“We practice everything so that it becomes routine.”
Gemmell is hoping all of his training and hard work at the training camp will pay off for Team Canada next week and knows there are high expectations.
“We’re expected to be very professional and perform very well.
“It’s our chance to show the world that we’re still the team to beat.”
Team Canada opens the tournament against Japan Sunday at 12 p.m. MT. The tournament final is Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on TSN.
To follow Gemmell and Team Canada visit www.hockeycanada.ca.
