Yahoo Sports Toronto Sceptres Training Camp Notes: Spooner Out, Sunohara In
With the Toronto Sceptres training camp officially underway here are some notes from around the rink to start camp.
Spooner out to start season
After suffering an knee injury in Toronto’s first round loss to Minnesota it looked like there was hope to see Natalie Spooner in the lineup opening night.
In general manager Gina Kingsbury's media availability this morning she announced that Spooner will not be in the lineup on November 30.
“We will work with her deliberately throughout the recovery process,” said Kingsbury. “We will make sure she is 100% when she comes back, and consider her career, her health and to be able to chase her child around for years to come.”
This will be a big loss for the Sceptres to start the season. Despite the loss, Troy Ryan pointed to Daryl Watts as a player he thinks can step up and help fill that void.
Spooner last season scored 27 points in just 24 regular season games for the Sceptres leading her to be named the best forward and the league MVP.
Toronto adds Vicky Sunohara to staff
Early this morning the Toronto Sceptres announced in a press release that the team will be adding University of Toronto Varsity Blues head coach Vicky Sunohara to the staff.
Sunohara is joining the staff in a coaching consultant role while still maintaining her position as the head coach of the women’s team with the Varsity Blues.
“She is one of the best leaders I’ve ever encountered,” said Kingsbury. “She’s just passionate, and she is one of those people that breeds that passion in others.”
In her time coaching the Varsity Blues, Sunohara has led the program to two McCaw Cup championships and has been named coach of the year at the OUA and U Sports coach of the year three times.
“It’s a bit of a no brainer,” said Ryan when asked about the hiring. “It’s a great opportunity for myself to learn and pick her brain as much as I can.”
Toronto looked into bringing Sunohara onto the staff halfway through last season but decided it would be better for her to start at the beginning of this season.
In her role she will be working with players on the ice during practices and analyzing game tape for the club.
