Kallie Billadeau discovered a lot about her Syracuse teammates as they were shooting at her.

Not when they were shooting at her with hockey pucks — but with paintball guns.

Last week, the Orange went on paintball trip, just one of the several team-building activities Syracuse has done this preseason to get acclimated with everyone on the squad.

‘The team activities that we did,’ said Billadeau, the SU goaltender, ‘we got to know a lot about each other. Our likes and dislikes.’

And by shooting each other in muddy terrain with paintball guns that leave a sting or going on scavenger hunts, SU is closer. Already more so than last year’s team. Head coach Paul Flanagan has seen a marked difference in how his team interacts with each other.

This 2011 team is more close-knit than last year’s Orange squad, players and coaches said. And SU’s first opportunity to show it comes on Friday, when Syracuse travels to Minneapolis, Minn., to take part in the East/West Showcase. The Orange plays St. Cloud State on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday.

‘I think the camaraderie is at an all-time high,’ Flanagan said. ‘I think it’s really good.’

In 30 years of coaching, Flanagan said this team is among the most cohesive teams off the ice he’s led.

Last year, he may have overheard complaining or whining toward each other. This season, all the ‘quips’ Flanagan has heard during practice have been nothing but positive.

Flanagan credits the cohesion to how proactive his team captains have been. Co-captains Taylor Metcalfe and Megan Skelly have taken it upon themselves to make sure everyone gets involved and gets along.

‘Our captain and our veterans have done a great job just kind of assimilating the rookies into the programs and making everybody feel comfortable,’ Flanagan said.

Flanagan has also brought in a sports psychiatrist to help create an open dialogue between the players.

Although the psychiatrist was assisting the team last year, he has been in a few more times this year, each visit at least an hourlong.

‘He’s done some team-building stuff,’ Flanagan said. ‘But more really just goal setting and understanding your place on the team and your role within team. If anything, he’s just getting the girls to talk.’

Last season, the Orange failed to meet expectations, falling to rival Mercyhurst in the championship game of the College Hockey America tournament and finishing below .500 for the second time in its three-year history.

Defender Akane Hosoyamada said last year’s team could function together, but players had their own groups.

‘There were just random cliques,’ the sophomore said. ‘But it’s nothing like we couldn’t get along. It was just outside the ice we just didn’t hang out as much.’

Flanagan said last season the team had some situations. There was some unnecessary drama that got old after awhile.

And as a result, the focus was not where it should have been.

‘The drama can take over the room,’ Flanagan said. ‘In other words, you get preoccupied with what’s going on with this person and so a lot of that revolved around self-centeredness.’

But Flanagan doesn’t expect this season to be the same melodrama. And with the Orange’s improved team chemistry is an expected rise in quality of play on the ice this season.

With the players less worried about individual achievements, Skelly sees the Orange more focused on accomplishing team goals.

Billadeau believes the atmosphere on the ice is a lot looser. She described the team’s personality as ‘goofy and relaxed.’

‘We’re not negative,’ the sophomore said. ‘We just support each other and have fun out there.’

But Billadeau also said the players know when it’s time to put their game face on.

Although SU was picked to finish second in the CHA, just behind Mercyhurst, the league’s defending champions, Flanagan has some concerns about how his young team will manage.

But one thing he doesn’t think he has to worry about is the Orange winning or losing together.

‘Because whether we’re up or down, we’re going to stick together,’ Flanagan said. ‘And we’re going to have our ups and downs.’

‘Trust me. This is my 30th team. This is my 30th year and it means so much when you get kids that believe in one another and support one another.’

dgproppe@syr.edu

 

Published on September 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm