Hockey season is less than three weeks away for the Topeka RoadRunners.
With main camp finished and training camp starting the 28th, players will begin filing in, hoping to kick off another successful season in Topeka.
“I think this time of the year, everyone’s starting to get excited,” RoadRunners head coach Josh Kamrass said. “With players checking in and reporting Monday, we don’t have much time before preseason games start.”
Once ice is down, Topeka will have less than a week until its first preseason matchup in Shreveport, La. Versus the MudBugs on Sept. 3-4.
While Shreveport will be an NAHL South Division foe for the Runners this year, Kamrass said this time of the year is about self-evaluation.
“This time of the year, we’re going to be focusing on us,” Kamrass said. “It’s really a good time for us to evaluate what we have.”
With Topeka’s regular season schedule including a fair number of home contests, the team will be looking to build some comradery it its road exhibition matches.
“Getting out on the road early and getting acclimated with each other will be a great way to build our character early on,” Kamrass said. “It’s a unique setup this year, and it’s a pretty quick start. We have to be ready to go, because we don’t have time to play catch up.”
Ready to start their 11th year in Topeka, Kamrass stated it’s surreal to believe he was in uniform for the team 10 years ago in 2007.
“Looking back through all the great memories in the first year in Topeka, it’s pretty special,” Kamrass said. “Not many people get to say they’ve had such an awesome experience.”
Fans interested in seeing the team before their home opener are encouraged to check out team practices. Times are typically midday but will be announced when possible.
“Practice is always open to the public, so fans are always welcome to come out and see what we’re doing,” Kamrass said. ”It’s a pretty hectic schedule to start the season, but we’re ready.”