By Robb Fenton
While there are going to be some changes when lacrosse begins this season, so far things are looking good.
After hosting a number of drop-in nights, the numbers are encouraging for Lloydminster Lacrosse Association president Wayne Poole
“They went really well. Our numbers are up there,” he said. “We increased per drop-in about 30 players,”
With a good turnout for registration and participation the players were put on to teams for the season which begins in just over one week.
“It turned out really good this year. We ended up strong team wise, registration is pretty much wrapped up. We had our evaluation, picked our teams this week,” Poole said.
The LLA looks strong heading into the 2010 campaign and sit with about 10 teams.
There will be a mini-tyke team, a tyke team, three novice teams, two pee wee teams, two bantam teams and one midget team.
“We’re really happy with that,” Poole explained about the interest and the numbers allowing the association to put together all the teams.
Now that the teams are picked and everyone is ready to go, it’s once again up to the people in charge to make sure the sport stays popular through the summer months and keeps getting stronger.
“Obviously we have to keep the word out there. Media support is a big help and getting a hold of the school board, hopefully they can work lacrosse into their physical education curriculum,” Pool said of some of the next steps that will be taken. “We did kind of a trial run a few days a couple weeks back. It was a full two days in the phys. ed. class and teaching it and response there was really good.”
Everything is pointing in the right direction and everyone from the president, to volunteers, coaches and the players are ready to get the year underway.
“We’re really excited. Kids are chomping at the bit. Some just can’t wait,” Poole said. “If there were lacrosse all year, some of these kids wouldn’t play hockey. They have no options, so that part has been great.”
Despite the excitement of the upcoming season, Poole knows there is still work to do in order to keep the sport popular and thriving in the area.
He wants to make sure they only add to their already strong numbers.
“Volunteer help is ideal, getting parents in there and sponsorship is key. It’s been a long haul, we’ve had it for nine years, but we want to keep going,” he said of the sport in Lloydminster. “There’s no reason we can’t keep it going and get more and more interest. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have two or three teams in each division every year.”
The biggest hit the LLA took was losing the junior team, the Trison Brutes in the off-season.
While focussing on the task at hand – the 2010 season – Poole will continue to work towards bringing that team back and making sure the younger ages stay strong to ensure a bright future for the junior team.
“Keeping this going at the midget and bantam level will really help reestablishing our junior program. We don’t have a junior team this year, but we are trying to combine with Kitscoty to get something going. We haven’t quite got on the same playing field with that yet,” Poole explained.
The season kicks off April 12.