National Lacrosse League

The 2012 NLL season takes another step closer as the Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Minnesota Swarm and Toronto Rock each open their team training camp this upcoming weekend.

Calgary

The Calgary Roughnecks have released their 2011 training camp schedule highlighted by the inaugural Roughnecks Fan Fest and a scrimmage against the Edmonton Rush. Both events are free and open to the public.

The four-weekend training camp in preparation for the 2012 season begins Friday, November 25 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Practice will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon followed by another two-hour session at 7:00 p.m. All training sessions at Scotiabank Saddledome are free and open to the public. Complimentary parking is available in Lot A and the parkade via 5 Street SE.

The Roughnecks will hold Fan Fest on Saturday, November 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Scotiabank Saddledome. This event features an opportunity for fans to meet the 2012 Roughnecks and Drill Crew, practice lacrosse skills, and participate in games and prizing.

Buffalo

Training camp for the Buffalo Bandits will begin on Sunday, November 27. Practice will run from noon until 2 p.m.

The Bandits will hold an open practice event at First Niagara Center to offer fans their first chance to catch the Bandits in action before the start of the 2012 National Lacrosse League season.

The open practice will take place on Saturday, December 17 from 10 a.m. until noon, with doors opening at 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, an hour-long autograph session featuring all practice participants will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the 100 level concourse.

Admission to the event is free, as is parking in the First Niagara Center ramp. The Sabres Store will be open for fans seeking Bandits merchandise and select concession stands will be open throughout the practice. The Buffalo Bandettes dance team will also be on hand to perform and sign autographs.

Toronto

The Rock will begin their official training camp on Saturday, November 26 at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA) in Six Nations, Ontario. On the following weekend, the first of two exhibition scrimmages will be played on Saturday, December 3rd at the ILA against the Edmonton Rush at 6pm.

The following weekend, the Rock will travel out west to Langley, British Columbia to play an exhibition game against the Washington Stealth at the Langley Events Centre on December 10th. The game is also a rematch of the 2010 and 2011 NLL Champion's Cup Finals.

Minnesota

The Minnesota Swarm open training camp in Hagersville, Ontario on Thursday, November 24th with a rookie and free agent camp. Players trying out will participate in the Swarm's Rookie Camp, which is a one-day event comprised of open invites and Swarm draft picks. Prospective players that advance past the team's Rookie Camp will be required to stay the weekend for the team's main training camp, which runs Nov. 25 - 27.

The Swarm have an exhibition game at the Rochester Knighthawks on December 17th.