Legend Rushing to Edmonton

By Matthew Iwanyk

As the Edmonton Rush were getting set to host the Boston Blazers, they also were playing host to one of the greatest athletes in his respective sport, Randy Couture.

Back in December of 2009 the Edmonton Rush entered into a very unique partnership. The Rush announces that the Rush had reached an agreement with UFC Hall of Famer Randy “The Natural” Couture.

Part of the partnership was the fact that Randy Couture attended this past weekend’s game against the Blazers. He also was able to participate in the Rush shoot around, which happened on Saturday afternoon.

Couture, who had never seen a lacrosse game live, was excited to get on the turf.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Couture, during a media event in Edmonton on Friday. “Actually getting on the field, getting a sense of the guys, the game and what the stick feels like. I’ve never held a lacrosse stick before. I’m sure I will suck but it will be a lot of fun.”

Another part of the partnership, Randy Couture hosted four Rush players at his training camp, Xtreme Couture. Xtreme Couture is the Las Vegas-based home training ground for Couture as he prepare for his next bouts, as well as the training facility for many other UFC fighters, including former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

Rush players Jimmy Quinlan, Brodie Merrill, Ryan McNish and Chris McElroy were welcomed to Xtreme Couture during training camp. There they were treated to intense mixed martial arts training for a week. For the players like Ryan McNish, the experience was exciting.

“For me, I am an UFC fan. Getting the chance to train with his camp, his kickboxing coach, his boxing coach, it was absolutely unbelievable,” said McNish. “At the end of the day we are training with Randy Couture.”

For the players this was unlike any other training they have experienced heading into the season. Instead of doing the traditional lacrosse exercises, the four Rush players were treated to the same workouts that Mixed Martial Arts fighters do in their training. The training was quite intense, but all was beneficial to any athlete, not just lacrosse players, according the legend Randy Couture.

“There was a core strength and conditioning program that we used for mixed martial arts that is good for any sport,” said Couture, as he also recognizes some similarities between lacrosse and mixed martial arts that his training helps. “There is a lot of physical contact in lacrosse, especially close in quarters fighting, the clench work, some of the wrestling and using the hand eye coordination from boxing all translated into good lacrosse.”

This training experience was just as much about learning another sport than just training for the National Lacrosse League season. The training features lots of sweat, pain and hard work. The word quit is never uttered, nor would it be allowed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever trained that hard, and I’ve spent 10 years in the military. Those guys are phenomenal athletes and I got nothing but respect for them,” McNish said of the mixed martial arts athletes.

The Rush hope to continue their agreement with Couture beyond the 2010 season, and try to get even more players to train with the UFC legend.

Moving forward we want to send players down there this summer to train,” says Rush President Sawyer.

The biggest hope the Edmonton Rush and Randy Couture partnership will bring to the Rush is the chance at getting in excellent fitness shape compared to other teams in the NLL.

As Sawyer says, he hopes this partnership will “take [our team] to the next level of conditioning in the NLL.”