BRAMPTON, ON – With a new CBA in place and all franchises excited for the season to get underway, this past weekend was the first week of training camp for multiple different teams, including the league’s newest franchise, the Oshawa FireWolves.
“It was a great success,” said FireWolves Head Coach and General Manager Glenn Clark, reflecting on week one of training camp. “We got some teaching in. We got the pace picked up, you know, we got to evaluate, we got to prepare, and I’m glad with the performance the guys had out here this weekend.”
Week one of training camp for the FireWolves was held at the Brampton Memorial Arena to signal the start of the 2025-26 NLL season, as the team welcomed 31 players to camp with hopes of making the final roster. Names like Tye Kurtz and Alex Simmons, Captain Colton Watkinson, Dyson Williams, Jackson Nishimura, and Doug Jamieson were all in attendance. Newcomers to the team included off-season acquisition Taggart Clark, free agent Kyle Rubisch, and trade deadline acquisition Johnathan Peshko. For the teams’ draft selections, Dante Kulas, Jaxon Fridge, Hayden Summers-Thompson, Hawi Francis, and Zach Richards all got their first taste of an NLL training camp.
It was an intense two days in Brampton with the players working on shooting, 5-on-5 systems, conditioning, game-like situations, and learning from one another.
“I thought it was good, and it was what we expected. They got better as they got more comfortable,” said Clark about the team’s draft picks over the past few years and their first taste of NLL training camp. “It’s an adjustment in terms of, pace and strength and speed and everything else. So you could see them getting more comfortable as it went along. They’re all skilled guys, and it takes time to catch up to the NLL game, but I thought they did a great job for the first weekend.”
Dyson Williams is excited about the hype surrounding the FireWolves coming to Oshawa and expects a big turnout for their home and season opener on November 28 against the Toronto Rock.
“A lot of guys are local to Oshawa. Most of the guys grew up playing at Iroquois Park, you know, right down the road. They spent a lot of time as a kid being in the community in Oshawa, so it’s really exciting with the buzz around Durham Region,” said Williams. “Once we get that first game in, the people that aren’t even that familiar with lacrosse, should most likely also jump on the bandwagon and be, you know, pumped for more games and show support for the boys.”
With week one of camp in the books and a week off to rest, Clark is now focused on week two of camp, which will feature the team’s first pre-season game.
“Week two of camp will be a little bit different. We’ll sharpen it up a little bit. We have an exhibition game against Vegas, where you really get to evaluate the intangibles of the game,” said Clark. “We’ll get a good chance to evaluate some of the guys that are in positions to earn spots, and then also get preparation time for our veterans, so they’re getting ready for the season.”
The Oshawa FireWolves will play their first game in franchise history at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa on November 28 at 7:30 pm against the Toronto Rock. For tickets, fans can click here. Visit www.oshawafirewolves.com for more information on tickets and stay tuned to our social media accounts for all the latest on the FireWolves.
About Oshawa FireWolves
The Oshawa FireWolves are Durham Region’s professional box lacrosse team, competing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) out of the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, ON. For more information, visit OshawaFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/FireWolvesNLL, Twitter @FireWolvesNLL, and Instagram @FireWolvesNLL.
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