Chill open camp seeking cohesiveness on the pitch

THUNDER BAY -- It’s snowing in May – must mean the Thunder Bay Chill are back on the pitch.

The Premier Development League team opened training camp on a frosty Saturday morning at Fort William Stadium, and while most of the players had to adjust to the near freezing temperatures blanketing the city, the practice session was the first step in what the team hopes is yet another trip to the postseason.

Opening day is all about shaking the winter rust off and gelling with new teammates, many of whom have never played together in the past.

It has to happen in a hurry, with a pair of friendlies against the Winnipeg Lions staring them down on May 28 and 29, the regular season opener against WSA Winnipeg on the road a week later.

Veteran midfielder Dominic Roberts, back for a fifth season, said it will take a couple of days for the players to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but so far he likes what he sees.

“What I know so far is a lot of talented guys have come in,” said Roberts, who helped the Chill return to the PDL playoffs last season for the eighth time in nine years.

Finding chemistry isn’t that tough, the Toronto native added.

“I think in Thunder Bay it only takes a couple of practices, maybe two days. With the veterans coming in, we make the new guys feel welcome and try to learn their strengths as soon as possible so we can play together as one,” Roberts said.

There are plenty of veteran faces in camp.

Brazilian Sullivan Silva, the one-time PDL most valuable player, looks to have recovered from knee troubles and will be joined up front by countryman Daniel Farias and goaltender Daniel Milton, both back for second seasons with the Chill.

Also returning is long-time defender Zetroy Robertson.

Of the newcomers, perhaps none is more heralded than Brazilian Leyrielton Moura De Moraes, a former member of his country’s under-20 squad.

Milton said from his vantage point in goal, his teammates looked sharp and good to go.

He’s already seen the new-look Chill start to bond.

“We’ve only come together the past couple of days and before training camp has started we’ve gotten the new boys together,” said Milton, who joined the team partway through the 2015 campaign.

“We’ve gelled well and the chemistry is going well, so that only helps us.”

Milton is pleased in particular with the Chill’s defence, an area of concern a year ago for a team that blew plenty of leads late, including their 3-2 playoff loss to rival Michigan, a game they led 2-0 in the second half.

“I think that our back four is very strong. But at any position I think we’ve got the competitive advantage to fight for spots.”

Second-year coach Gio Petraglia said the morning practice was about letting the players get used to each other. The intensity will follow.

“We’ve got to raise the intensity a bit tonight and then tomorrow morning. And then next week we’re going to work specifically toward playing our first game,” he said.