The Thompson Lacrosse Association (TLA) is teaming up with the Manitoba Lacrosse Association (MLA) and the School District of Mystery Lake to bring Canada's national summer sport to more children and youth in Thompson as it prepares to launch its 11th season.
"This spring marks the 11th season for the Thompson Lacrosse Association and we're looking to grow our numbers in this already popular sport," says Brad Ritchie, publicity director for the TLA. "We're really excited about how we're going to introduce Canada's national sport to all the young people in Thompson."
The three organizations have worked together to develop a two- to three-week lacrosse program to be offered by the physical education departments at all of Thompson's schools. MLA executive director Don Jacks was spending yesterday and today rolling out the program - called "Lacrosse Fits" - and helping teachers out for the first couple of days.
"It introduces the sport and the skills in a safe and fun way so people can learn it if they've never participated before," Ritchie explains. "For people who have participated, it will just allow them to pursue one of their passions through their phys-ed program at school. I really want to make a big thank you to Lorie Henderson from the School District of Mystery Lake as well as Shaun Kennedy for helping us to get this organized."
Designed to help the sport reach the greatest number of potential players possible, the program is also reaching out to parents who may be unfamiliar with the sport.
"Part of the program will be a takeaway piece for the students to take home to their parents about how much fun it is and how they can participate," Ritchie says. The ultimate aim is to make it possible for schools to offer lacrosse in P.E. classes throughout the year. "Our goal is to eventually leave behind lacrosse equipment at every school for year-round enjoyment."
Ritchie says that lacrosse is an easy sport to understand - describing it as being like basketball with changes on the fly from a strategic standpoint - and that parents who have never picked up a lacrosse stick can easily master the fundamentals to enable them to practise with their children.
"I've taught many parents the basic skills of scooping, cradling, passing or catching so they can practise at home with their son or daughter," he said.
In addition to being fun, lacrosse is also an excellent off-season sport for hockey players, with many of that game's current and former superstars - including Wayne Gretzky, Gary Roberts, Joe Nieuwendyk and John Tavares, who shares the same name as an uncle who is the National Lacrosse League's all-time leading scorer - crediting participation in the sport with helping them to improve many of the skills that took them to the NHL.
"It's probably the best complement for someone who wants to be a hockey player to participate in," Ritchie says.
It's also an ideal spring-early summer sport for Thompson, he says.
"You don't need a lawn chair or an umbrella to watch," he said. "We never get rained out. There are no bugs inside the arena. The end of the season is basically the same time the school year ends."
Registration for the upcoming lacrosse season will take place in April, probably beginning in the third week of the month. In addition to players, the association is also recruiting new coaches - and you don't' need to have any experience to help out.
"We will pair the man or woman up with an experienced coach or two so that they can learn and be helpful and get confidence and experience," Ritchie says.
Players who want to step up to a higher level of competition will likely have the opportunity to do so, says Ritchie, as the association hopes to have one or more travelling teams, as it has in the past, with previous destinations including Prince Albert, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.
"We're hoping to have some of those opportunities this year again as well," said Ritchie.
Those who've outgrown the minor lacrosse ranks don't have to hang up their sticks for good either, as the TLA will once again offer a master's division for adult players.
To learn more or volunteer with the TLA, attend the associations' annual general meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the Mary Fenske Boardroom at the Thompson Regional Community Centre.
