Q&A with Frost Heaves coach Jeff Strohm about Saturday's Vermont tryout

New Frost Heaves head coach Jeff Strohm talks about this weekend’s tryout at Essex High School, which is open to the public and runs all day Saturday. While Strohm and his staff have been scouting in several states and will continue to do so leading up to the opening of practice later this winter, the tryout is the only one held in Vermont.

The tryout will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3 p.m.-6 p.m. at Essex High School.

“Anybody and everybody is welcome,” Strohm said. “We’d love to have as many people come out as possible. We’re going to find out how much they know and if they fit into what the Frost Heaves are all about.”

 

TA: How many players are scheduled to be at this tryout?

JS: We originally tried to restrict it to 20. But now there might be 25, and it might get to 30. There will be eight coaches, from college to high school, boys and girls. Many offered to come up and we’re so excited to have them.

 

TA: Where are these players coming from?

JS: There are several from the east, from New York, Buffalo. Two or three are from California, we’ve got two or three from Florida, and one or two from down south. They’re from all over. There’s another from Georgia and several from the Boston area, and two or three from years’ past, and Markus Austin is one.

 

TA: Will there be any Vermont athletes?

JS: That’s a given. There is of course. Mike Perez (from Barre/Spaulding High School), Bobby Shedd (from Hazen), Chris White.

 

TA: What are you looking for in a player?

JS: We’re looking for lots of things. The main things are guys that represent the characteristics I talked about in my first press conference: work ethic and character. It’s a full-day tryout. Are they going to do everything we ask, or are they going to take shortcuts? We’re going to put them in competitive situations and see how hard they compete. Through the day we’re going to see if they have care or concern for others or just for themselves. Obviously you have skill and ability. Talent-wise, they’ve got to have that to at least open the door.

 

TA: Traditionally, only one or two players from this tryout make the team and stay with the team. How many, ideally, are you looking to pick from this camp?

JS: We’ve invested a  lot of time, so realistically it could be as many as five. Three-to-five, somewhere in there.

 

TA: The Springfield (Mass.) Armor (NBA D-League) tryout is also scheduled for this weekend. Any player conflicts? Are you sending any scouts to that tryout?

JS: No we’re not (sending anyone to Springfield). We just decided not to. It might have affected two  or three kids. From the get-go we’ve said we’re going to get the guys we want and keep it small, so it didn’t affect it as much. We didn’t want anyone and everyone to come.

 

TA: Where else have you been looking for players?

JS: We’ve been to Boston, to Washington, D.C, for the PBL tryout. We’ve been burning the midnight oil with emails, phone calls. The Frost Heave fans can be proud that not one email or call has not been not followed up on. Each trip has resulted in at least one player we’ve been interested in, and it’s been hours and hours of watching video tape.

 

TA: How close are you to signing players?

JS: This weekend will determine a lot, but we’re close. There are two or three I see committed right now, but we want to go through this weekend first. Hopefully next week we’ll move forward.

 

TA: Next big thing on the agenda?

JS:  We have to draft two guys two weeks from now. Next week is big in making a lot of decisions as to who we want to draft, who we want to protect, and that sort of stuff.

 

 

--Anna Grearson