Estevan's novice box lacrosse program is getting started for the 2011 season and coach Jody Harris hopes to see more youngsters take up the sport.
Only eight players are currently on the roster, with only one of those kids returning from last year.
"Most of the kids from last year didn't sign up again," said Harris. "It's been my motivation to increase the awareness of lacrosse in the community."
The novice squad can't commit to league play because it doesn't have enough players and the closest centres with novice teams are Regina and Moose Jaw.
But the team holds one-hour practices on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., and Harris said she's impressed by how quickly the new players are picking up the game.
"They've come a long way already. It's quite amazing how quickly these kids learn," she said.
"We did a drill that had a bit of body contact in it and their eyes just lit up. If we could just get these kids to stick with it, they could become great lacrosse players."
One problem facing the sport's future in the city is that there have been no peewee or bantam teams in recent years. Kids who are interested in going further are not able to develop their skills consistently until they reach the midget level.
"That's key to the existence of our sport," Harris said. "We have to start at the grassroots and be able to advance kids through the program."
To that end, Colin Fogarty of the Estevan Big Dogs junior team has joined the novice program as an assistant coach, an injection of youth that Harris said is critical.
"I'm not ready to let lacrosse die in Estevan," she said.
As for game action, the hope is to schedule some doubleheaders against Regina and Moose Jaw teams, perhaps a home-and-home set with each team.
"That'll give them the game component of our sport. It's tough because parents don't want to travel," Harris said.
Registrations are still being accepted and players are welcome to bring a friend to try the sport for free. The season fee is $100. Harris said she hopes to recruit at least five or six more players.
She added that playing lacrosse has benefits for athletes who play other sports, especially hockey, since it helps to improve stamina and hand-eye co-ordination.
Harris is also the Saskatchewan Hockey Association director for Zone 1 and she said taking up lacrosse is very much encouraged for hockey players.
"Being a hockey promoter, our board wants kids to play other things during the summer. We don't want them playing hockey 12 months a year."
Meanwhile, the Big Dogs are expected to play several exhibition games early this month, followed by the start of regular season play in mid-May. Their schedule has not been finalized yet.
