FOR AMERKS, BUILDING TEAM CULTURE, IDENTITY STARTS AT TRAINING CAMP

Oct 3, 2023

By Warren Kosel

 

The process of establishing team unity and togetherness often takes months, sometimes, years to achieve. It’s something every team goes through, especially early in the season as newcomers become acclimated to a new city, new coaching staff and a new group of teammates.

 

But as any athlete would say, the acclimation process is a necessary one in order for individuals to eventually evolve into a collective, cohesive unit for long-term team success.

 

Rooted at the core of every successful team is the buy-in and ultimate belief that everyone is part of something bigger than themselves, something that Rochester Americans head coach Seth Appert has been instilling since taking over as bench boss prior to the 2020-21 season.

 

That ideology came to fruition last year during the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the longest playoff run by the Amerks in nearly 20 years.

 

 

Fast forward exactly four months later and the Amerks, albeit with some different faces, are back on the ice for training camp and a fresh start, determined to replicate the success of last season.

 

“It’s so good to be back and see the guys. It almost feels like we never left,” said Amerks captain Michael Mersch, who’s back for his fourth season in Rochester. “

 

Before they can do that, however, the Amerks need to begin the process of coming together as a team, forging their own identity and a building an “all-in” culture centered around winning and development.

 

“It was great to be in Buffalo’s camp, and they treat us so well up there, but at the same time it’s nice to get here and start getting towards the identity and camaraderie that we fought so hard for the last couple of years,” said Appert after Monday’s practice at The Blue Cross Arena.

 

 

On the heels of the team’s longest playoff run in nearly two decades, it’s only natural that the returning players who were part of it come into this year wanting to settle unfinished business. While Appert, of course, undoubtedly feels the same, he understands, perhaps more than anyone, that its on the players and their commitment to the team culture to get back there again.

 

And that journey began as early as yesterday.

 

“I don’t want to say it would be easier, but guys should mesh a little bit quicker because of the battles that we’ve been through together," said Mersch. "You can’t emulate stuff like that, and you can’t force things like that. For the returning guys, what we’ve been through as a team is special and hopefully, we can build on that and find ways to bring the new guys in and make them feel comfortable so they can play their game at the best of their ability.”

 

“Every year you have to start over again from fighting for your culture, fighting for your identity and fighting for the things you want to stand for as a group of men," said Appert. "You get so close to winning the championship last year and it can feel really normal to try and start there again, but you’re not there, you got to go all the way back and you got to climb it all over again and it’s a grind. It’s hard and its tedious, but you got to put the work in to fight for your identity, but also to put the work in to build the camaraderie that you need to become a close team.”