Bob Williamson liked what he saw at the Sarnia Legionnaires mini-camp Saturday.

The veteran general manager said 84 athletes took part in the event, which was held at the Germain Park Arena.

"We look for determination and grit, how they look at things,”  he said. “They don't always have to be big. Small players like Owen Rogers” can be a major asset to a team.

Williamson, who has been involved in sports for almost four decades, said the players who tried out had the right mind-set. “They were good calibre kids with good attitudes,” he said. More than that, they were skilled. “We found the scrimmages were very fast and the goaltending was good.” 

Head coach Jeff Perry echoed his words, saying the tempo of the camp was faster than was the case at the same event a year ago. 

The Legionnaire coaching staff will evaluate the participants, then decide which ones to invite to the main camp in August. There will be many difficult decisions, Williamson said, because the Sarnia-Lambton region is blessed with an abundance of hockey talent.

"I like the kids to come and have fun at camp,” he said. “A lot of kids haven't played in a month or two and you've got to keep that in mind” when evaluating them.

The camp was geared to local talent, but 10 Michigan players were also on hand, along with a few from the Goderich area and one from Toronto.

Some players who don't make the Legionnaires may catch on with the Mooretown Flags Jr. 'C' club, or end up with another Jr. 'B' team, Williamson said.

He noted some of the players stayed after their workout was over to watch Legionnaire veterans perform.

He added, “It was a chance for the kids to come to a Jr. 'B' camp and be treated as an equal. And you never know, the coach might invite them to the main camp.”