SWXtra: Coach Olson Feeling More Comfortable - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Spokane Shock

SWXtra: Coach Olson Feeling More Comfortable Before Second Season

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by SWX Right Now Staff - email
Andy Olson has a career 10-8 record as head coach of the Spokane Shock (Photo: SWX) Andy Olson has a career 10-8 record as head coach of the Spokane Shock (Photo: SWX)
SPOKANE, Wash. -

This isn't Andy Olson first rodeo. As he heads into his second season as a head coach in the AFL, the Washington native says he feels more comfortable than he did at the same time last year, and he can't wait for the season to get started.

Mobile users can watch the interview here: http://bit.ly/TYZOyR

Olson spoke with SWX's John Collett in an interview that aired Monday on SWX Tonight. Here are some of the highlights of the conversation:

  • The Shock signed 17 players in the first three days of the signing period that began in October.

 

  • Feb. 28 is reporting day for the Shock. And for the first time in franchise history the team will have a conditioning test on March 1. Practice starts on March 2, with the first game three weeks after that.

Personally, Olson feels more comfortable than he did at this time last year.

"Definitely, I just feel more comfortable. Not that last year I was going out of my socks, but I was a little nervous about everything. This year it's a little more of time to get down to work and time to get back to championship form."

 

  • Team chemistry this year is going to be good.

"I think the chemistry with this team is going to the best it's been in a while. That's something we focused on – chemistry, getting guys to play for each other, for their coach, and just make sure that everyone has that same goal, and that is to win."

 

  • Expect a few changes this year at Shock games:

I know we've had a couple of down years and the economy hasn't helped, but we're trying to bring the excitement back. We've changed our pre-game, we've changed some of our sponsorship stuff in-between time outs. We're trying to make it more exciting."

Olson said the best thing the team could to do, of course, is to win football games and earn a home playoff game.

 

  • Coach Olson on the Super Bowl:

He predicts New England and San Francisco will play in the big game. As for who wins, he picks the Niners:

"I can't root for the Patriots, so yes, absolutely."

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