The easy part was identifying the talent, the difficult part came Friday for the Albert Lea Thunder.

The Thunder concluded its final camp Friday and it had to decide which of the 60 players who tried out were going to make the roster. The decisions weren’t going to be easy and many factors were taken into account, some of which were largely based on non-hockey skills.

“A lot of it is, not only hockey skills, what kind of kid they are inside and outside the locker room,” said assistant coach Brian Murphy. “Grades have something to do with that, ACT scores, testing scores. So it’s not only their hockey ability, it’s their character. Their character is the most important thing.”

The organization has committed itself to moving players onto the college level and as such it will bring in the players it feels have the best opportunity to succeed academically and athletically.

“It’s a hard thing,” said Jim Perkins, director of hockey operations. “Barry’s (team owner Barry Soskin) and my philosophy has always been grades first. You have to be able to have the grade. We’ve never changed that philosophy.”

Although 35 players will not play for the Thunder when it begins its season in September the team said it will help players find a team to play on.

“We have plenty of options for them if they don’t make the Thunder this year,” Murphy said. “Between Brad (head coach Brad Zangs) and I, we have plenty of contacts in the North American Hockey League as well as the Junior B league, throughout the country that can give them tryouts.”

For players the news of not making the team can be understandably difficult, considering they may have felt like a lock to make the team after being asked to the final camp.

“It’s always different with each kid,” Murphy said. “Some kids say ‘thank you for the opportunity, it was a great camp.’ They kind of ask you for recommendations for next year. Some kids are upset and don’t really want to talk to you too much. That kind of comes with the territory and you kind of expect that.”

The final camp provided head coach Brad Zangs his first serious look at the players, after he was introduced as head coach Wednesday. Zangs focused on the on-ice skills of the players over the two-day camp and says the challenge will come for the players that do make the team.

“The boys that do make this team, it’s going to be tough on them,” Zangs said. “We will push them.”

As for his assessment of the players in the camp, Zangs remained optimistic.

“I think we’ll be good,” he said. “I think we’ll be able to show the fans in Albert Lea a good solid group of kids.”

The Thunder cannot release its final roster until all other NAHL team camps have concluded as part of league rules.