When longtime captain Shawn Williams stepped on the floor for the first time during the Brooklin Redmen training camp Wednesday night, general manager Wayne Colley breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Now he's hoping for a domino effect.

When camp broke early last week, several key players were undecided about whether they would be suiting up for the Major Series Lacrosse club this summer.

Chief among them was Williams, who has been with the team since 1996 (save for one season when he played out west) and has led the league in scoring three times.

Although Williams still hadn't signed with the team as of our Thursday deadline, Colley was hoping to accomplish that soon and then convince the likes of Gavin Prout and Jeff Zywicki to follow suit.

"They're all sitting back and waiting for each other to sign and play," Colley explained Thursday. "So, Shawn was there last night. That might just open the floodgates."

On the downside, both Prout and Zywicki suited up for the Rochester Rattlers pro field team last weekend, meaning another hectic summer is in store if they decide to play for the Redmen as well.

Prout indicated last week that he wouldn't play in both leagues this summer, but Colley is still hoping to convince him otherwise before the Redmen open the regular season next Wednesday on the road against Six Nations.

He figures he just needs to give him a little more time.

"Those guys have a long winter," Colley says, referring to their National Lacrosse League seasons. "They travel every weekend, going here, there and everywhere else and it catches up with you. They need time off. They need some space."

Bobby McBride was also at camp Wednesday, while Stephen Hoar and Mike McLellan are expected back by Monday, meaning the NLL players are starting to trickle back.

The Redmen will also get an influx of young blood this season, with many players graduating from the junior ranks, including Zack Greer, who Colley hopes to see in a Redmen jersey once his field season at Duke is done.

He spoke highly of the enthusiasm already brought to the table by the likes of Matt Carroll, Jay Winder, Steve Hutchins and Kyle O'Brien.

"Once you see how our team is going to play this year, I think it's going to gain a hell of a lot of interest," says Colley. "We're going to play the old-fashioned run and gun lacrosse, up and down the floor and I'm betting that you can't catch me."