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Friday, April 16, 2004
Spartans have new team president
 The Sudbury Spartans’ new president is hoping some fresh ideas will help fill the stands at Queen’s Athletic Field this summer.
Renee Bulman brings some new ideas to the team in the hopes of rekindling the love affair Sudbury football fans used to have with the storied Northern Football Conference franchise.
“I would like to re-energize our fan base,” she said. “I figure if we have happy fans, we’ll have a happy team, no matter what the team is doing at that time. We want to boost morale and I’d like to see more people at the games because that’s a major income generator for us. We are a non-profit organization, and times are tough for non-profits right now. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, and in a community this small it’s hard.”
Bulman’s dream is to have the stands at Queen’s Athletic Field packed with enthusiastic silver and blue draped fans.
“I hate to say this, but I’d like to Americanize the games,” she said. “It’s unfortunate we have to do that to make the fans feel a part of it, but if you go to a game down there it’s very exciting. The fans are painting their bodies, there’s stuff going on on the sidelines, and I think that’s what we need.
“I want the fans to feel like they are participating in the game, and we have a few things in the works,” she added. “Instead of just watching football, I want the fans to feel they are there for a night of entertainment, and it’s cheap at $5, with kids under 10 getting in free.”
Bulman also wants to do more for the team’s sponsors.
“I’ll also try to come up with some new fundraising ideas to make sure our sponsors get something back aside from season tickets, because we do have long-standing sponsors who go back 30 years,” she said.
While attendance at Spartans games has been spotty the past few years, Bulman said she thinks there are lots of Spartans fans out there who only need a bit of coaxing to attend the home games.
“Apparently, the Sudbury Spartans have the biggest fan turnout (in the league) and we’re only averaging 220 per game,” she said. “The bleachers can fit way more and I’d like to see way more. I know there’s people out there who want to support the team and we’re always open and willing to do things in return. Our team has always participated in community events and we want to do that more so we can develop relationships with other non-profit organizations.
“What we want to do is strengthen the team inside and then develop strong partnerships within the community.”
When the position of team president became available, Bulman didn’t hesitate to throw her hat in the ring.
“I have a lot of past involvement sitting in the bleachers watching and going on road trips,” she said. “I thought last season the team needed restructuring and reorganization, and I was willing to step up to the plate and help out. The people who were doing the job before were overwhelmed. It was being designated to only a few individuals, and they do have lives and it’s hard to maintain that connection to the team as well as a full-time job and family commitments.”
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Spartans new head coach optimistic
By Bruce Heidman/The Sudbury Star
The Sudbury Spartans’ new head coach is promising a “dynamic” product when his team hits the gridiron this summer.
John MacLean, the Spartans’ defensive co-ordinator for the past three seasons, is taking over the head coaching duties from Paddy Walsh and is expecting to bring the Spartans back to the playoffs and beyond during his tenure.
“I have some big shoes to fill,” said MacLean, who earned his football stripes as a defensive end for St. Francis Xavier University in the 1980s. “Instead of trying to fill them I just want to build a solid team we can work with the next few years and improve steadily.”
MacLean will waste no time putting his stamp on the team.
“We’re going to be a little bit more dynamic on offence, with more passing and a lot more excitement in the game,” he said. “We’ll be much more dynamic than in the last few years when we relied almost solely on a running game. Now, we’re going to use the running game to set up our passing game.”
MacLean said the return of veteran quarterback Paul Gauthier will give the offence an automatic boost.
“Paul Gauthier may be the best offensive player ever in this town,” MacLean said. “He has committed to coming back, and he’s pretty excited about it because he’s bringing his 16-year-old son along, and he really wants to complete a pass to his son.”
Last year’s starting quarterback Jordan Cecchetto is also returning, and another young quarterback will also be in camp, MacLean said.
“Jordan’s looking good, and there is another kid from Ottawa who wants to play at that position, so there will be a real dogfight for that starting position,” he said. “But the more depth the better.”
Playbook changes will also extend to the Spartans defence.
“We’ll be more aggressive on defence,” MacLean said. “We want a defence that will take away the ball more than just defend. We’ve had a bend but not break kind of defence the past three years, but this year we have the personnel that will be able to attack an offence and tear it to pieces.”
Some other familiar faces may return to the team, though MacLean isn’t naming all the names yet.
“We have a lot of old veterans coming out, some who haven’t seen a football field in two or three years, and it’s going to make things real exciting,” he said. “Richard Eldridge is back to kick, so any time we get within 35 yards we’re going to get points for sure. We are going to have top quality receivers and a top-notch kicking game.
“So far, we have between 40 to 49 guys coming out, and things are really starting to look up.”
MacLean has set a big goal for this year’s edition.
“I think we can take an honest shot at it all,” he said. “Some of those southern Ontario teams have broken up, like that Oakville team that went undefeated for 11 seasons. I want to finish well above .500 and host a playoff game, that’s my goal for this year. Once in the playoffs, I think we can be the most dangerous team out there.”
Home opener June 19
The Spartans begin the 2004 Northern Football Conference regular season June 12 in Belleville against Quinte Limestone. The Spartans’ first home game is the following Saturday when they host Milton.
“I’m happy our first game is on the road because it takes some pressure off the players to perform in front of a home crowd,” MacLean said. “That’s the only game I’m concerned about right now.”
Registration for the Spartans continues today at Lily Creek field from 5 to 8 p.m. Registration will also take place next Wednesday and Thursday, and the following Thursday and Friday, same location, same times.
Training camp begins May 8 at 9 a.m., and MacLean is itching to get out on the field, whistle at the ready.
“We’ll practise six days straight and taper off as the season gets closer, then go down to three practices a week after that,” he said.
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