Mitch Elliot Off-Season Q&A
Seattle Thunderbirds left wing Mitch Elliot has played in 193 games with the team. He will be entering his fourth season with the team in 2012-13. He recently returned from the Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Camp. He took some time to sit down with us and answer some questions about the Flyers camp and this coming season.
Seattle Thunderbirds: You just attended the Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Development Camp. What was that experience like?
Mitch Elliot: It was an awesome experience. The Philadelphia Flyers are a great organization and I was honored to be a part of the development camp. Marcel Noebels was there too, and it was great to see him. I learned a lot from the coaches and trainers and they sent us home with some drills to work on over the summer and into the next season. Overall, I had a lot of fun and I hope I can go back one day.
ST: We saw that you Tweeted a photo of all the Flyers prospects linked arm-in-arm and heading into the Atlantic Ocean. What was that all about?
ME: We had just finished a US Navy SEALs workout and every single guy linked arms and we walked into the ocean together. It was an unbelievable feeling and made me feel very proud of what we had just accomplished (not to mention the water was beautiful – somewhere around 75 degrees).
ST: What was your schedule like at the Camp? Were you on the ice every day? What type of team building activities did you do?
ME: We had ice time and a workout every day except for Wednesday when we went to the Jersey shore for the day. We also had a presentation or a seminar every day after lunch. We got a chance to go down to the Wells Fargo center and check it out. We went bowling as a team on our last night together. Saturday and Sunday were scrimmage days where we played games: black against orange. Wednesday was probably the busiest day. We woke up early and got on a bus to go to Stone Harbor. We did the Navy SEALs work out followed by having some time to swim and interact with fans that had come to watch. Then we competed in a blindfolded kayak race and a charity baseball game. We finished off the day with a dinner at the yacht club and we watched the Broad Street Bullies HBO movie. Overall it was a great week and I feel lucky to have had the experience.
ST: What are some of the things you were told by the Flyers at the Camp?
ME: We were all told to take at least one thing home with us and work on it. I was told that they will continue to watch me and that I need to work on playing my best consistently.
ST: What did you learn and take away from the Camp that you will apply to your game this coming season?
ME: I learned that just because I am a big guy doesn’t mean that I do not need to have good hands. I learned some drills to work on my stick handling and passing. I will also take away the advice given to me by the team’s nutritionist to help me fuel my body better during the season.
ST: Three weeks ago you were back in town with some of other guys on the team to attend the memorial service for Bruce McDonald. What did Bruce mean to the guys and how important was it to you to be at the service?
ME: It was very important for me to be at the service. I drove a total of 22 hours both ways to get there because I felt like I needed to be there. Bruce was a part of the team and he had been for so many years so he was very important. I will miss seeing Bruce around the rink and I will especially miss his voice on T-Birds Radio.
ST: You are a three time winner of the T-Birds Scholastic Player of the Year Award. What are some of the things you do to manage a busy hockey schedule with academic success?
ME: To manage a busy schedule, it’s all about priorities. I prioritize my schoolwork and I make sure to use my spare time wisely. Instead of going home to play video games after dinner, I go home and finish my work and then, if I still have time, I can relax and play video games or watch TV.
ST: Both personally and as a team, what are some of your goals for this coming season?
ME: I want to become more of a leader, and I want to help the team in any way I can. My biggest goal is to make the playoffs. Simply put, I don’t want this coming season to end early like our last three seasons.
ST: What type of workout program or schedule are you undertaking this summer?
ME: I am working out by myself using the program created by Coach Konowalchuk and Phil Varney. I am also skating three to four times a week and going hiking and doing other outdoor activities.
ST: We’ve heard this summer you have been playing a bit of roller hockey. How did this develop? Are you on a team with a group of friends?
ME: Yes, actually I did play some roller hockey. My dad signed me up when I got home. At first I was a little bit apprehensive, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. I played on a team with my dad and my brother. It was a lot of fun to be on a team with my family since it’s something we don’t get to do very often.
ST: What have you been up to leisure wise? Have you gone anywhere on a vacation?
ME: I haven’t really gone anywhere yet, but I am heading to Kitimat and Prince Rupert next week to spend some time with my family on the boat doing some fishing and camping.
ST: Now for something a bit different. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say the following five things?
Summer – Mitch: Fishing
P.G. – Mitch: Home
Mobile device – Mitch: iPhone
Actress – Mitch: Megan Fox
Book – Mitch: Playing with Fire
ST: Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing you at training camp?
ME: Thank you and see you there!
Seattle Thunderbirds Public & Media Relations Intern Nicole Stull conducted the Q&A with Mitch Elliot. The team will be posting Q&A’s during the off-season with returning T-Birds players.
