Head Coach Byron Samuels is excited about what he feels will
get accomplished with the exhibition.
“This gives us an opportunity for our players to travel,
become familiar with one another and begin to trust each other as teammates,”
he said. “Our kids recognized that the
opportunity came with sacrifice and coordination from their coaches and the
athletic administration.”
The Rattlers will play the University of Quebec-Montreal on Aug. 13, University of Laval on Aug. 14, McGill University of Aug.16 and Concordia University on Aug. 17. The tour will give the team the opportunity to get a head start on the season that many schools have taken advantage of, but it will be the first opportunity under Samuels’ leadership.
“When I took the job two years ago, at this point in the
season I had only met two of the players.
Last year we had four to six players in Summer school,” Samuels said. “This season we have 12 players in Summer
school and they had the opportunity to meet each other and begin to gel. In the allotted days we’ve had to practice
together, they’ve begun to understand one another. They’ve competed so hard against one another
that there have been times where I’ve had to pull them back. It will bode well for us once the actual season
begins.”
The Rattlers have three goals on the trip according to
Samuels. “We have to learn how to commit
to one another, how to sacrifice and how to trust one another and the faith
that comes with that,” Samuels said.
Canadian Exhibition Tour Schedule:
August 13 vs. University of Quebec-Montreal 1:00pm
August 14 vs. University of Laval 3:00pm
August 16 vs. McGill University 7:00pm
August 17 vs. Concordia University 7:00pm