Jordan Sundher is not

surprised to be entering his 10th season as a

member of the Victoria Shamrocks, he just didn’t expect to be behind the bench when the team begins training camp tonight.

Always known as a grinder and role player, whether it was playing defence, taking faceoffs, or moving the ball up in transition, Sundher is taking on a new challenge as assistant coach in charge of the defence. It wasn’t exactly what he had planned, but a hip problem has forced him off the floor at the relatively young age of 30.

“I’m looking forward to the season, but I’m not really looking forward to not playing, that’s for sure,” said Sundher, who has what the doctors think is some type of degenerative hip problem. He might need a hip replacement by the time he’s 40.

“It’s causing me a lot of pain in my day-to-day activities,” Sundher said. “They’re still trying to see exactly what’s going on.”

Sundher has coached for the last 10 years, including the Juan de Fuca Bantam A boys last season. He’s comfortable telling 13- or 14-year-old boys how to play, but not sure about men, especially when some of them are his friends.

“It’s going to be very interesting,” said Sundher, who thought his coaching career would follow a progression from bantam and midget to intermediate and junior, and one day, the Shamrocks. As it is, he’ll be counting on the experience of being an assistant captain last year, as well as a thorough knowledge of head coach Art Webster’s systems.

“I was already helping the younger players, anyway.”

The good news for Sundher is the Shamrocks are expecting to have a broad influx of new players who have no history with the veteran. Last season, the Shamrocks felt they underachieved, with a record of nine wins, eight losses, and a tie during regular season, then were swept out of the first round of playoffs in four straight games by the New Westminster Salmonbellies.

“Two years ago, the

talent wasn’t there. Last year, we definitely had talent, but definitely didn’t fulfill our aspirations,” Sundher said. “It wasn’t the right mix. We didn’t gel.”

Shamrocks GM Chris Welch said the team is expecting to sign eight or nine newcomers, many of them imports from Ontario, while several familiar faces, such as Chris McKay, brothers Tyler and Nolan Heavenor, Chris McElroy, Kelly Hall, and Ryder Bateman might not be back. Of players returning, however, Rhys Duch, Luke Wiles, and Lewis Ratcliff are at the forefront of what should be an exciting front line.

“We’re going to have quite the potent offence, if we can get them working together,” Welch said. “It’s a group that should be fun to watch.”

Duch, who held out last season until the Shamrocks could acquire him from Langley, recently broke a seven-year rookie scoring record in the National Lacrosse League. Playing with the San Joe Stealth, Duch amassed 35 goals and 54 assists in 16 regular season games. He also scored the overtime winner in a game that earned the Stealth a berth in next week’s NLL playoffs. Wiles, healthy after being plagued by injury problems last season, has 69 points, and Ratcliff 68, to lead the Toronto Rock in scoring.

Until the hockey ice is out of Bear Mountain Arena, the Shamrocks are practising at Juan de Fuca Arena on Mondays and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. The ’Rocks open their season at home on May 22, against the Langley

Thunder.