Phoenix: Boothroyd's Learning Curve

After coming up through the ranks in Bradford and Hull, Luke Boothroyd is now continuing to learn his trade with the Manchester Phoenix.

The Phoenix D is a versatile crew marshalled by standout blueliner Kenton Smith and Boothroyd says he's got plenty to learn from his team-mates. As he told the Phoenix game programme:

Kenton Smith – "A hard working captain, leads by example, an intense character."

Dwight Parrish – "A good teacher, he always tells me if I’m doing well and if you make mistakes he won’t get on your back, he just encourages you in a positive way, which I find helps."

Josh Garbutt – "He’s good physical D-man, and he’s got such a hard shot."

Alex Dunn – "Alex is very clever on the puck, he brings it forward very well – so you can see that between them I’ve got different things to learn and these will all help me to become a better player."

Besides learning from his team-mates about the game itself, Boothroyd could also teach them a thing or two about the mental approach to hockey - he's studying Sports Psychology at Huddersfield University!