Interview with Leeds Knights forward Oli Endicott on getting the call to play with the Elite League's Coventry Blaze in pre-season and his and the Knights' promising start to the 2023-24 NIHL National campaign ...
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00:00 How was it to play for the first time in a season?
00:07 It was a great experience for me. It was a big step up but I really enjoyed it. I think
00:13 Ryan and Danny Stewart were in contact with each other and Ryan told me that I could let
00:18 go. It was a massive opportunity and I loved it. It was good. The hockey is very, very
00:25 good. It's a different level. A lot of very, very good imports and good Brits but it was
00:31 good to get the ice time and see what that league is all about.
00:35 Was it a bit of an eye opener for you? Not necessarily just the game but everything surrounding
00:40 that as well?
00:41 Yes, it was a big eye opener. I've never trained or played with an elite big team before so
00:47 it was good that commentary asked about me and wanted me to play. I really appreciate
00:52 that and thank them for the opportunity.
00:55 Is it something that's given you a taste that you want some more of this coming forward
00:58 at some point?
00:59 Yes, it would be good to get there eventually but at the moment, just focusing on where
01:05 we are now with Leeds and getting better here and hopefully in the future make that step
01:09 up.
01:10 Talk about Leeds. Obviously it's been a good start to the season. You are the only team
01:15 with an unbeaten record or 100% record so far. You're going into a tough weekend against
01:18 Milton Keynes Lightning. All the tough games as you know from last season against them.
01:22 Just generally, the mood in the room, presumably you're happy with the results but it certainly
01:27 does isn't it?
01:28 Yes, it certainly does but it's always good. The first team unbeaten, everyone's lost a
01:34 game, we haven't yet. The train is rolling at the moment. The boys seem pretty upbeat.
01:39 This is probably a massive weekend for us here. We try and get the four points if we
01:43 can but we've just got to keep going, working hard and I think with Ryan and the boys we'll
01:49 be alright.
01:50 You faced a bit of adversity last Saturday, 3-0 down after 1-0 against Peterborough. Turn
01:54 that around in a show-stopping fashion to win 8-4 against what is again another good
01:59 Peterborough team. Does that give you confidence as a group moving forward?
02:03 Yes, I think we all know that we all had a pretty bad start and then we came in after
02:07 the first, regrouped and Ryan had said some words and the boys got behind each other and
02:11 we just turned it around. I think it shows that we are capable of beating any team in
02:15 this league. We just need to be on our game and play to a standard every night.
02:19 You yourself, you got on the board that night as well. You've had a decent start to the
02:22 season, 2-2 out of 4 games so far. Presumably you're pleased with how it's going for you?
02:26 Yes, I'm very happy with how I'm playing at the moment. I think Ryan's happy with me and
02:31 the boys seem pretty chuffed with me at the moment. It was big, scoring my first goal
02:35 in Leeds. That was a pretty big moment but to score again the following night was pretty
02:41 crazy but I'm pretty happy with how I started at the moment.
02:43 Yeah.
02:44 [END]