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STEALTH SIGN PLAYERS & NEW ASSISTANT COACHES

Four veteran players returning; Stroup jumps into coaching

11/27/2009

It's been a busy week of activity for the Washington Stealth. The club recently announced the signing of four veterans that have a combined 25 years of experience. Defensemen Eric Martin, Curtis Hodgson and Travis Gillespie and forward Cam Sedgwick will all be returning to the Stealth in 2010. The quartet played an important role with the Stealth last season as they made a run into the West Division Finals.

Martin recently earned a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2010 World Field Lacrosse Championships. He the 2009 NLL season with 18 points (6g, 12a) and a team-high 100 loose balls in 2009. In 2008, he was named to the NLL West Division All-Star team. In his five-year NLL career, he has accumulated 13 goals, 46 assists and 464 loose balls, all with the Stealth. He played his college ball at Salisbury State, where he won two NCAA Division III Championships.

Hodgson was an assistant captain with the Stealth in 2009, and finished with four goals, eight assists and 82 loose balls. Since joining the Stealth for the 2005 season, Hodgson has appeared in all 80 games, accumulating 55 points and 309 loose balls.

Gillespie will be returning to the Stealth after spending the second half of 2009 on the injured reserve list. He joined the Stealth last season after an offseason trade with the Boston Blazers. In seven games last season, he scored one goal and added seven assists and 41 loose balls.

Sedgwick is entering his ninth season in the NLL after posting career-highs in goals (23), assists (40) and points (63) in 15 games with the Stealth last season. He was fourth on the Stealth in each category. In 101 career games, Sedgwick has 300 points.

The Stealth have also announced new members of the coaching staff. Dan Stroup and Dave Evans will join Stealth Head Coach Chris Hall and defensive coordinator Art Webster on the bench for the 2010 season.

Hall returns for his second season with the Stealth and with it a new-look coaching staff. He took over the head coaching duties midway through last season after the Stealth opened the season with a 3-7 record. Hall led the team to a 4-2 record in the last six regular season games and a playoff run that ended at the West Division Finals. Prior to joining the Stealth, Hall spent 37 years as a lacrosse player and coach, earning the highest honors at every level. As a coach, Hall won the 2004 National Lacrosse League title with the Calgary Roughnecks.

Stroup has been named the offensive coordinator of the Stealth after spending the last 13 seasons as a player in the National Lacrosse League. He takes over a Stealth offense that ranked third in the NLL last year. During his outstanding career, Stroup logged over 300 goals and over 500 points. Stroup won three NLL titles with the Toronto Rock and another with the Colorado Mammoth. "Dan has had a long and storied career in the NLL and we look forward to him being able to transfer that knowledge, skill and experience to our Stealth offense", said Hall. "It should be an easy transition for Dan and I know he will quickly gain the respect of the players."

Evans joins the Stealth as the goaltenders coach. "He is widely considered in the indoor game as a top teacher of goaltending skills and his decades of experience in this regard is a welcome addition to our staff", said Hall.

The coaching staff will have its hands full as the Stealth prepare for the 2010 season, which starts January 9 at the Comcast Arena at Everett. 34 players have been invited to participate in training camp beginning December 5. That number will be narrowed down to 26 players, including three practice roster spots. "Camp will be highly competitive", said Hall. "We have a good mix of returnees, free agents and draft picks all of whom will be giving it their all to make the final cuts."