PETERBOROUGH, UK – When Peterborough Phantoms skate out on home ice this weekend, Captain James Ferrara will lead out his team as he has done for the last nine consecutive seasons.
Photo by David Trevallion
The 30 year old enters his sixth season wearing the ‘C’ on his hometown jersey, fresh from a testimonial tournament and a family trip to Disneyland earlier this summer.
“Firstly it was an honour to be given a testimonial by the club” admitted Ferrara, who rejoined the Phantoms from Nottingham Panthers in 2009/10.
“Its something which meant a great deal to me. I enjoyed all aspects of it and we decided to do something quite unique by having four teams playing a round robin format tournament which was exciting. We were able to fill four teams worth of players which I was extremely grateful for.
“Being able to skate alongside friends who I have shared many experiences with was the best thing about the weekend. It was a similar feeling to a wedding in that you have your closest friends and family around you, it certainly was a fantastic day.”
Phantoms fans first saw Ferrara as a fresh faced teenager in the 2003/04 season, when he made his senior debut in the old English Premier League in a loss against Slough Jets. A few shifts alongside fellow Peterborough junior and now Glasgow Clan and GB international Craig Peacock were Ferrara’s only memories of the game, but both would go on to play Elite League hockey in the years that followed.
Ferrara left his home town three years later and spent three and a half years playing for the Nottingham Panthers at the highest level of the British game, whilst also representing GB up to under 20 level. He comes from a hockey family with brother Rob a team mate on the Phantoms roster and younger brother Luke playing for Coventry Blaze and the Great Britain senior team.
All three came through the Peterborough junior system as kids, and as the eldest, James was first to go through the system, with Rob and Luke following behind.
“One by one our parents supported our ambition to play the game and helped us get to where we are now” he explained.
“We don’t have any rivalry to each other. We joke and laugh about many things but we all want what’s best for each other. We were very competitive growing up but have always had each others back. I am proud to have played with Robert over many seasons and am proud of how well Luke is now doing with Coventry and GB.”
And so to the present day, and the upcoming campaign with the Phantoms. Ferrara and his team mates beat last seasons treble winners Basingstoke Bison in two pre-season challenge games last weekend but face a tough looking double header against a strong Telford Tigers team over the coming days.
Coach Slava Koulikov has made a number of changes to the team that narrowly lost out on silverware last season, most notably bringing in Czech Petr Stepanek and Corey McEwen (son of Phantoms and British hockey legend Doug McEwen).
Questions have been asked regarding the Phantoms failure to lift a trophy, but the Phantoms skipper believes their first campaign in the new-look NIHL had some positives and that his excitement for the new season is as strong as it has ever been.
“Right now I believe there were many positives to take from the 2018/19 campaign”
“Finishing second in the league on goal difference was something we should be proud of. But with the team we had I feel we should’ve progressed further in the cup and Play-Offs. We came so close on many fronts to silverware, but that is something we will have to use as motivation this year.
“I am excited, as always, for the new season. There have been less changes and so we know what to expect from the off. No new teams, rinks and situations to adjust to. We have a slightly changed line-up from last season, but one I am excited about as we have kept a strong core together so the potential is there to build from last season.
“Other teams have strengthened, so I’m looking forward to the challenge to build on last season and help bring silverware to Peterborough.”
Contact the author: carrsy2@gmail.com
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