Riot Offseason Recap/Preseason Preview

The Regina Riot’s season officially kicks off this weekend, so what better time to take a look at the offseason that was? We caught up with Head Coach Olivier Eddie to get his comments on a few key aspects of the offseason, as well as give his thoughts on the upcoming home preseason game with the Manitoba Fearless.

PLAYER RECRUITMENT

“We faced a significant challenge in the offseason as we welcomed a large group of first-time players. That said, our recruiting class is very athletic and the rate at which they’ve been able to pick things up has been better than anticipated. You can expect to see some fresh faces at key positions this year; most notably with the defensive back group. Both Kathryn Neigum and Michaela Sykora have been battling back and forth for playing time; they should make an immediate difference for our team this season.”

NEW COACHES

“We are welcoming some talented new coaches this season, including former Team Saskatchewan and Team Canada player and Regina Riot alumni Claire Dore. Joining her on the staff and new to the organization are experienced football coaches Zach Schmidt, Rob Hartman and Addison Richards. These additions will bring new perspectives and new life to our staff.”

TEAM CHEMISTRY

“We have a core group of veterans that have bought in to our team culture and philosophy. For one reason or another, the team seems to have gelled more over the winter months than teams in years past have. We are firm believers in the importance of team culture and know that it provides us with a firm backbone.”

PRESEASON PREVIEW

“We host the Manitoba Fearless in preseason action on April 29^th. The Fearless have been busy recruiting and we have noticed that multiple ex-flag football players have joined their team. We expect them to bring speed and athleticism to their team but look forward to the challenge.”

That home preseason game against the Manitoba Fearless takes place at Leibel Field on Sunday, April 29^th at 5:00pm. Tickets will be available at the door.