Belfast Giants' captain Mark Cooper chats about season ahead
Ahead of the start of pre-season this weekend Belfast Giants' captain Mark Cooper took time after practice during training camp to speak to the News Letter's Darryl Armitage about the season.
We also got a chat with new American netminder Tom McCollum about how he and his family are settling into Belfast, and his hopes for the season ahead.
We also got a chat with new American netminder Tom McCollum about how he and his family are settling into Belfast, and his hopes for the season ahead.
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00:00So Mark, looking forward to what the season holds for the Giants this season?
00:06Yep, 100% really excited for this group.
00:11Got to know the guys over the last couple of weeks and we have a really good group
00:16and everyone looks like a really good player.
00:18So super excited to get things going on Saturday and kind of see where we're made of.
00:22And as you say, training camps have been ongoing for the last wee while.
00:27How's that been progressing?
00:29It's obviously an opportunity for the guys to get to know each other and see what they bring to the ice.
00:35Yep, for sure.
00:36I knew everyone on paper kind of had a really good resume coming in.
00:41They did a really good job of recruiting good players this summer.
00:44But then obviously you got to see them on the ice and everyone seems really skilled.
00:50And just like I said earlier, really excited to see on Saturday what we have
00:56and I'm sure it won't be much of a friendly against Cardiff.
00:59It never really is.
01:00So it's a very new looking team this season and an exciting one as well.
01:06Yep, the guys are super.
01:12I think we have a really good skating team, really smart players.
01:15And I think just as important, a bunch of really nice guys off the ice.
01:20It's been exciting to get to know the guys
01:23and everyone seems really bought in and excited to be here in Belfast.
01:26And obviously there is the core returnees from last year, yourself included.
01:32Laker, Longer, etc.
01:35It's good to have that core to build upon with the new guys as well.
01:41Yep, I think all of us are kind of on year fours and five of being here.
01:47We've kind of seen it all, like winning, losing.
01:51So I think hopefully we can build on our winning experiences in last year
01:55and learn from that and have a great, really successful season.
01:59And personally, was it an easy decision to come back here to Northern Ireland to Belfast?
02:05Yeah, it's been pretty easy.
02:08Every time I've kind of made the decision to come back.
02:12Last year, I kind of wasn't able to play as much as I wanted because of an injury.
02:18So I really wanted to get back and prove myself
02:23and prove that I can play a full season healthy and have a great year again.
02:28So in a way, the way things went last year with the injury and things,
02:33you probably were eager to get back just to prove a point that it was just the injury
02:39and you wanted to get back as soon as possible.
02:42Yeah, for sure. It's tough watching,
02:44especially when the team struggled a little bit.
02:48But I'm just excited to be back.
02:50I'm not thinking too much about last season, like being injured and stuff.
02:55Just kind of take the lessons from last year and build on this year
03:00and be in the moment this year and not try and take any day for granted.
03:03In the past, Mark, we've talked about how the league has become more competitive
03:09over the last three seasons.
03:11That was very much the case last season.
03:13You expect that again this season as well?
03:16Oh yeah, for sure.
03:17I think Sheffield kind of set the bar last year with running away with the league title
03:24and Cardiff's built a really strong team.
03:27I think everyone has had some really good signs this summer.
03:30I think it's going to be the most competitive I've seen it in four seasons here.
03:36And I'm sure it'll be a tight race and then one team that's the most consistent
03:42will rise to the top and crown themselves champions.
03:46Obviously it's a big year for the Giants organization, the 25th anniversary.
03:52That will be something not only the guys in the locker room
03:56but the fans will be looking forward to on and off ice as well.
03:59You must be looking forward to it.
04:01Yeah, I've talked to a ton of fans throughout my time here.
04:05You have some day one fans that have come to almost every home game.
04:10Then you have the ones that have come post-COVID and everyone's excited.
04:14The fans that have been here from day one obviously deserve a big celebration.
04:19They've been supporting this organization for 25 good years.
04:24Hopefully we can put a good product on the ice
04:27and commemorate this 25 years with some championships.
04:30Tom, how have you been settling in here to Belfast?
04:36Have you enjoyed making the move over here from Regensburg this season?
04:41Yeah, so far the move over here has been great.
04:44My family and I have enjoyed seeing a little bit around the city.
04:48We've had great experiences with everybody that we've met so far.
04:51We're very excited for the rest of the year.
04:54How did the move to Belfast come about?
04:57Obviously you got contact from Adam.
05:02Can you give me a wee background on how the move here to Northern Ireland came about?
05:07Yeah, Adam texted me about the potential of coming last year during the playoffs.
05:12From there it's just a lot of gathering information and weighing our options.
05:17Just having that past history with Adam, he's somebody that I put a lot of trust in.
05:22So far the team's been great taking care of everything that we need
05:25to help make us feel as comfortable as possible.
05:28The league over here in the UK, do you know much about it?
05:32Have you had any experience with other guys who've played in the league in the past?
05:38I've actually played with quite a few guys that have played in the league.
05:41But it's a little different experience for them to try to explain to me.
05:46But at the same time, being a goalie thankfully,
05:48my job doesn't change too much no matter where I'm playing.
05:52Obviously your teammate Jackson Whistle, he's off on GB duty this weekend.
05:58There's going to be a real competitive edge there for you guys this season.
06:03It must be something that you're looking forward to?
06:05Yeah, it's definitely an exciting challenge between Jackson and I.
06:09At the same time, we're on the same team so we're going to push each other moving forward
06:13just to try to be the best that we can.
06:15I think it's really going to benefit the team as a whole.