News Article | 31st May 2009 » Scimitars Sign Netminding Duo

Jon Rowbotham secures the signatures of two goalies for the Scimitars for next season as the roster fills-up nicely for Sheffield's EPL team!

Speaking today Coach Rowbotham said, "This week I finally negotiated the return of Sheffield netminding duo Paul Jones and Ben Bowns and I am really happy to have both players commit to another season with the Scimitars." Rowbotham has already informed the Scimitars fans that his teams will be built from the back and both of these young goalies have massive potential which makes them both valuable additions to the Scimitars organisation.

Jones has worn a Scimitars shirt for many seasons and has plenty experience of the highs and lows at the EPL level. He is a compact goalie with great cat like reactions and an excellent work ethic, it is these two aspects coupled with Jones's desire to succeed that stood out for Coach Rowbotham who said of Jones, "He is still a young chap with great potential and under my guidance he will certainly further his progression into a fully rounded goalie." He went on "in the games I saw Jonesy play last season, I was impressed with how he coped under a massive amount of pressure and the way he kept plugging away in difficult situations." It has become widely known that the Scimitars have been holding meetings with a number of players and Rowbotham has pledged that personal player development for the upcoming homegrown talent is a major priority as the Scimitars look to build a solid base for the future growth of the Club. At a recent meeting with the Coach, Jones received his own objectives and has committed to work hard on his conditioning over the summer in preparation for the new season starting. Rowbotham has been an admirer of Jones's talent from afar as they have never been in a position to work together. Now that Jones has signed for the Scimitars again, Rowbotham knows they both have a rigorous challenge ahead and they will relish every moment.

The other net minder to put pen to paper for the Scimitars is Ben Bowns who is regarded by many a Britain's hottest net minding prospect. Bowns has a massive presence on the ice and is a pure shot stopper who has experienced success at every junior level which was highlighted recently during the world championships in Estonia, where he won a gold medal and promotion to division 1 for Great Britain. Bowns was in outstanding form during that tournament and Rowbotham will be hoping to see Bowns repeat those performances for the Scimitars next season, he said "I have coached Ben for many years through the junior ranks and most recently at ENL level, where his performances were outstanding. I am really looking forward to working with Bowns again next season." Rowbotham knows Bowns is a player with a strong mindset who also understands what is required of him for the team. Bowns had a few opportunities in the EPL level last season and Coach Rowbotham knows that Bowns is more than capable of holding his own and both coach and player have high aspirations and expectations for the forthcoming season. Rowbotham added "I'm sure in a few years time Bowns will figure in the Elite league due to his outstanding work ethic and desire to succeed which will not go un-noticed for much longer."

The Scimitars Coach believes that both of these young net minders are extremely competent and he has already begun to outline their preparations for some hard work in every practice so that he can determine who will be the starting net minder for the team next season. Jones and Bowns have told the Coach that they are ready to fight for their place and are up for the challenge. They understand what is expected of them to become number 1 net minder. Rowbotham said of the fight for the No. 1 jersey, "I believe this situation is healthy for both Jones and Bowns. They are the best of friends and this will create a competitive edge which in turn will drive each of them forward in their development stakes. I have used this technique for many years with all the players I have coached, it is one of the catalysts for development which will enable players to reach their full potential through friendly competition."

Like the signings announced last week these signings by Rowbotham re-confirm the Scimitars' commitment to local talent which is was affirmed by Club Director Ian Johnson who said "Once again we look to demonstrate our commitment to the development of home-grown players as we continue to build on the foundations for the Club laid in recent years. It's been a busy week for the Club and we have put-in many hours in the last few days making sure that we have the right people coming on to the roster. The prospects for this Club are really exciting and I believe we are making some fantastic progress with our preparations for the upcoming season."

Sheffield Scimitars will be announcing further player appointments over the coming weeks in readiness for the new season which starts third week of September.

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