FITNESS TESTING

Interview with Justin Zellweger moments after he finished his fitness testing.

RH: How do you think you did today?

JZ: I thought I did alright. I was more worried about the cardio and stuff but I think I came through in the end. I was hard though.

RH: What was the hardest part?

JZ: Oh the bike test. The five minute bike test. It was hell for me. It’s the last one at the end of the test and everyone regrets that one.

RH: How was your summer?

JZ: It was good, busy, lots of work but just getting ready for hockey here. I’m pretty excited to get back in the flow, back in the motion, and can’t wait for the season.

RH: What kind of expectations do you have for this year?

JZ: Want to be an all around player, keep the energy coming like I did last year, help my teammates out and hopefully be a leader and bring my team to another strong run in the playoffs.


Chat with Pontiacs assistant coach Ryan Pollack

RH: Is fitness testing a good way to find out who worked out over the summer?

RP: You know that’s the way on the surface that it always appears Robb, but there’s some other things that go into it to. Sometimes guys find out a little bit about themselves at this point as much as the guys find out about the investment they’ve put in through the summer. You know, there’s a level we need to get to physically in order to compete throughout the year and it shows guys their first introduction to the grind that a 62 game season is. That investment in the summer is important and if they haven’t done it it gets exposed and if they have it also shows up at this time.

RH: At the end of training camp if there are 2 guys on that bubble but you have to make a cut to get your numbers down will the coaches possibly refer back to today to help them make that decision?

RP: I think it’s sometimes that you can refer back to them at different times. I don’t think it’s something that will make or break a guy but it’s an area that we concentrate on and sometimes guys come in and are really good in one area and not so good in another and sometimes we take that data and that and teach them and help them improve in certain areas.