A group of Big Dogs players took their game to the annual provincial lacrosse spectacle known as the all-star game.
Ty Currie, Ryan Curzon, Rhett Handley and Dylan Smith were the four local players selected to represent the South Division of the junior lacrosse league. The Big Dogs, despite finishing seventh of eight teams, scored a lot of goals and had a number of players inside the top 10 and top 20 in scoring.
For the players, the game in Regina was a chance to try some new things and put on a bit of a show for the roughly 1,000 people in the stands. Big Dogs head coach Evan Handley, who also coached Team South, said with a goal from some trickery by Smith and Rhett, the fans didn't leave wanting.
"Rhett hid the ball inside his glove," he said. "After they won the ball and went into the opposite end, they went into the corner, and rather than getting side-by-side like they're supposed to, Rhett was like five feet away and he just went behind the net, put the ball in his stick and threw it in.
"There were still probably about 1,000 fans there at this time, and the entire arena was just laughing their heads off."
It's only a laid back all-star game that allows such antics, but that's because it's all about fun and offence.
"Not much defence was played at all," said Rhett. The game ended 14-13 for the south. "(On defence) you kind of just let them throw the ball around until they do something cool."
He said was pretty excited about his selection to the team. For Curzon, this was second trip to the showcase, after playing in last year's game.
"You go there and have fun, try not to embarrass yourself," he said.
The win, and trophy, mean bragging rights go to the south, "for at least a year," added Curzon.
"We had good morale in the dressing room (after the game) it was kind of an exaggerated win. We were putting Gatorade in the cup and drinking out of it. Just living the moment."
The game wasn't taken too seriously and the team representing the south bonded really well over the course of the day.
"There were a lot of good players," said Rhett. "You really just mess around and have fun out there."
"Because of the group of kids they were, they had fun," said Evan. "They had a great time. It's just to meet all those kids and play, because they all have really good skill. Some kids did not take any shots that were not from behind their back. That's what they did all game."
While the game had a relaxed atmosphere the players did say they learned something.
"When you get out there and play with guys, who for them (lacrosse) is what they want to do, you learn more from them. It's the smaller things, like the way they pass and the way they look at the floor. That's what you kind of learn from them," said Curzon.
"You have to know what the other guys do now," said Rhett. "You catch on to other people and you learn from them. We can definitely take that back and bring it back to the boys."
The weekend was also a first of its kind for Saskatchewan. They are calling it the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Festival, and it's based on a similar one held annually in Whitby, Ontario that brings in anywhere from 60 to 80 teams from across the province. Every age division plays provincial championships in one rink over the course of the weekend.
"When you get there, it's all about box lacrosse," said Evan. "That's what they're trying to build here in Saskatchewan now."
Tyke, novice, peewee and midget provincials were all going on at the same time that weekend. Evan said the approach is in large part to a new director, who recently came from Ontario.
"She played (lacrosse). She's young. She's 21, maybe and it's her idea. She's really enthusiastic. She's out there with the tykes and they were giving out prizes. They did a really good job."
He wants to send more teams from Estevan to the festival as it builds in future years.
