Watch Luke Ball speak to Paul Licuria in ArizonaBy his own admission, it’s been “a whirlwind couple of days” for Luke Ball, who has been warmly welcomed by his new teammates in Arizona.
Following the excitement of draft night last Thursday, when the Magpies snapped up the 142-game veteran and former Saints captain, he was in the US a bit over a day later for the Magpies’ high altitude training camp.
“I was lucky enough to be called out by the Pies at pick 30 on Thursday, packed that night, and caught a plane with Geoff Walsh (chief of football) the next day at 12 o’clock,” Ball told CTV after day seven - his second full day - of the camp.
“Before I knew it, I was over here in sunny Arizona, but as we look out at it now it’s almost covered in snow, so it has been a whirlwind couple of days. I’m just starting to settle in now, and I’m really enjoying it.”
The fact that the 25-year-old midfielder had been able to utilize the altitude room at the Lexus Centre a few times prior to the draft meant he wasn’t completely unprepared for the rigours of training at altitude.
“My first day consisted of a six hour hike up to the peak of Mt Humphrey, which was something I’ve never experienced before.
“I think it was minus 25 degrees up there, and a couple of the boys nearly got blown off the top.”
As for his new teammates?
“They have been terrific. I think I’ve walked in half way through (the camp), so they’re pretty stuffed and have been working pretty hard.
“Some of them have been here for two weeks because they came a week earlier, so you could excuse them for not giving me much… but they’ve been terrific.
“I’ve been around a little while now, so I’ve met a few of them around the traps, and know a few of them reasonably well, including the skipper (Nick Maxwell), who I’m rooming with, so it’s made that transition a little bit easier.”
