Roeszler Tests OHL’s Top Prospects At Combine
Colin Roeszler (left) with Joseph Raaymakers at the 2014 OHL Combine in Oshawa – Contributed Photo
Roeszler, owner of Athletes’ Fuel Strength & Conditioning in Chatham, was part of a team of Ontario’s top strength and conditioning coaches, who ran the OHL’s off-ice fitness testing of the top 96 draft eligible players for April’s OHL Priority Selection Draft.
“The opportunity to be invited to the OHL Combine to help administer the off-ice testing was a great experience and extremely rewarding,” says Roeszler. “The event was very professional and well organized. The Ontario Hockey League has a great reputation for a reason, it proved that weekend.”
Roeszler, who ultimately would like to become a strength and conditioning coach for an OHL club in the near future took a lot from the experience, and says it was an honour to be recognized, and have his business recognized by a league such as the OHL.
“It’s humbling to know that some of the province’s top strength and conditioning coaches view me in such a positive light,” said Roeszler. “However I know that the reason Athletes Fuel Strength & Conditioning is highly regarded outside of Chatham-Kent is because of the culture and success that is created by our athletes. I really have a special group of athletes that come train with me.”
One of those athletes, Chatham-Kent Cyclones goaltender Joseph Raaymakers, is considered one of the top goaltenders available in this year’s OHL draft, and he participated in the OHL Combine last season, recording the second best off-ice results among goaltenders.
“Joe was hands-down at the top of the goaltender draft class,” says Roeszler about Raaymakers performance at the OHL Combine.
“I wasn’t surprised,” continued Roeszler about Raaymakers performance, which landed him at or near the top in all off ice tests. “I knew that he would test well because he has such special fast-twitch capabilities. We have improved their capacities, and I think this is partially the reason why he is projected to be picked high and why he had such a successful season and OHL Combine.”
Roeszler’s group of draft eligible hockey players who train at Athletes’ Fuel also includes Wallaceburg’s Brady Pataki, who is projected to go in the first half of this year’s draft, as well as prospects Levi Tetrault, Ben Nicholls, Ross Krieger, Brendan Harrogate, and Blair Derynck.
To Roeszler, the gains these athletes, and others see from their off-ice work on the ice is crucial to taking the next step, and he says, it’s why OHL teams are now putting more stock in off-ice fitness.
“The transfer of putting in the right kind of off-ice training and having it lead to improved performance on the ice was no more apparent than it was this past weekend,” Roeszler explained about the OHL Combine. “Looking at the results, the projected top picks finished high in the off-ice combine testing, as well as the on-ice combine testing. Essentially, these are the best players not only because of their skill set, but also because they have put in the proper type of work with good strength and conditioning coaches and sound programs across the province.”
For Roeszler, the answer is simple, the best athletes train hard off the ice, and their work will get them noticed.
“To me, if I’m an OHL General Manager or Head Scout at the OHL Combine, I’m taking a kid that shows well in those tests because his ability to have the breakaway speed will more than likely be there. That’s a game changer.”
Roeszler will continue to train with many of Chatham-Kent’s top athletes at Athletes’ Fuel Strength & Conditioning, and he will also be an off-ice testing evaluator at the U15 Evaluation Camps in Windsor and Kitchener later this year.
For more information about Athletes Fuel Strength & Conditioning you can visit their website at www.athletesfuelsc.com