Hockey is year round sport for PI Wildcats

Summer has just begun. The temperatures are high and most people are heading to the lake and lying out in the sun. You wouldn’t think you’d find a hockey team, of all teams, already starting preseason conditioning, but in Presque Isle, you can.
The Presque Isle Varsity hockey team had a very successful season in 2006-2007 and ended up making it all the way to the Eastern Maine finals.
    This season they are getting a head start in hopes of a championship season, especially with four new teams added to their already extensive schedule. Presque Isle has picked up four new opponents — Cape Elizabeth, Greely, Camden Hills and Windale – as previous opponents Foxcroft and Stearns no longer have hockey programs.
This summer, PI coach Carl Flynn and his team have participated in a three-week conditioning camp which included twice-a-week, off-ice training under the guidance of County Physical Therapy. The sessions were not mandatory, yet these young men showed their dedication with 20 members of the 22-player team taking part. Flynn said those who couldn’t make it to the camp had prior work-related duties.
The conditioning camp started June 11 and continued for three weeks. Although, when the three weeks were over,, the enthusiastic group of athletes decided to continue the beneficial workouts throughout the summer. These boys have victory in their eyes and are already a step ahead of the game as they master drills that help agility, strengthen their core, and enhance their speed and endurance.
Greg Cyr, an assistant captain last season, has recently been picked to represent northern Maine on the North East New England hockey team. This team is a part of the organization, Hockey Night in Boston. The tryout he participated in was by invitation only and was held in Salem, Mass.
As a part of the team, Cyr will be playing against teams from across the nation at the end of July and at the beginning of August. Cyr believes that the summer workouts are very beneficial to himself and to his team.         “Most people don’t think that doing plyometrics and not weightlifting will benefit, but I’ve noticed that it’s helped me out a lot already,” Cyr said. “It helps build endurance and once hockey season rolls around, we won’t be out of shape.”
Coach Flynn has also mentioned that he wishes to do an early morning off-ice workout with his team once a week this winter — much like the program they are currently involved in this summer.