The Estevan Minor Box Lacrosse Association expects the 2019 season is going to be another busy one for the sport.
“Registrations are going well this year,” said executive member Misty Hall. “All of our team rosters are pretty much full, and we have some kids excited to get the season started.”
Lacrosse will have teams in its mini-tyke for children born in 2013-2015, tyke (born in 2011 and 2012), novice (born in 2009 and 2010), peewee (born in 2007 and 2008), bantam (born in 2005 and 2006) and midget (born in 2003 and 2004).
The teams in the novice to midget age groups will play in the South Saskatchewan Lacrosse League.
The bantam and midget teams had a head start on the season by playing in a preseason tournament in Swift Current. The midget team finished second, while the bantams used the tournament to prepare for the upcoming season.
Other teams have been practising as they prepare for the season.
Hall said the teams in the different age groups look great.
“I think Estevan is going to have another strong season of lacrosse.”
Last year the bantams won the league championship, which was a big step forward for the program, because they have had struggles in the last few years, but Hall believes Estevan is a contender in the lacrosse world now.
Several local athletes were also in Saskatoon this past weekend for Team Sask tryouts. The players who were selected for the team will represent Saskatchewan at nationals.
Special events for this year include a home tournament for the peewees and bantam teams from May 4-6. A few teams are scheduled to come to Estevan for the tournament.
The midget team will go out of province for the tournament in Medicine Hat in June.
League playoffs will be held in June, and provincials will be in Saskatoon the second weekend of July.
The lacrosse association also has new jerseys for its teams this year, with support coming from the Dustin Pratt Memorial Fund for the tyke team, McDonalds for the novice team, Regens Metals for the peewees, the Power Dodge for the bantams and MNP for the Voltz.
Those sponsors will be recognized with the team names for this season.
“We’re very fortunate to be in such a generous community. We started looking for some sponsors to get some new jerseys, because ours were very, very old and out of shape.”
Players will be looking sharp in their jerseys.
Hall believes lacrosse has a lot of benefits for kids, thanks to the pace of play. It places a premium on conditioning and hand-eye co-ordination.
“It’s a very rough sport as well, so you have to have a very thick skin to play lacrosse,” she said.
