Five players from Barrhead helped the Westlock Rock midget lacrosse team crush the Stony Plain Posse on May 29 at the Westlock Arena.
Dayne Wingrove, David Lee, Grayson Mills, Jake Chizma and Owen Lockhart suited up for the Westlock squad and contributed to a lopsided 9-1 victory with their refined ability and in-game chemistry.
“These guys are a big part of our team. In lacrosse, left and right shooters are very important. All of our left shooters, with one exception, are from Barrhead,” said assistant coach Dwayne Casavant.
The boys from Barrhead are first-year players for the Rock, and have played for the Barrhead Minor Hockey Association during the winter months.
“They’ve picked up the game quickly, and they’re all very good athletes. They’re involved in hockey, which really helps with the transition over to lacrosse. They’re great passers and ball handlers. They’ve obviously been practising at home,” said Casavant.
The team consists of players 14 to 16 years old, with 15 boys and one girl.
“Lacrosse is a fast-paced, physical game and fun to watch,” said Trudy Wingrove, whose son plays on the team.
Each Barrhead player contributes in their own way to the success of the team. For example, Chizma brings a lot of speed and a great attitude to the team, said Casavant.
Integrating into the team hasn’t been a problem for the boys from Barrhead. There is a history between the players from both towns, stemming from the years when Westlock hockey players would travel to Barrhead to play for the midget hockey team.
“There has been a few Westlock hockey players, so they know quite a few kids already. Whether they’ve played on the same team or against each other, the kids already know each other. Lee has been playing here since peewee, so he’s had time to get to know the other players over the years,” said Casavant.
“You get used to the travel, but I’ve had a lot of fun playing out here. Most people think, with hockey we’re enemies, but everybody is pretty good. We’re all friends,” said Rock goaltender Lee.
The lacrosse partnership between Westlock and Barrhead begins in the peewee division. Players can join the team at the peewee level and hopefully they can potentially stay all six years until the midget level.
“We’ve had some players that have started with us, but they’ve moved on to higher levels of competition, as they get older”, said Casavant.
As the coaching staff looks ahead to the future, there is nothing but excitement and anticipation of great things to come.
“We can put more banners into the rafters with their help. It would be nice if the Barrhead players could join the team earlier when they’re eligible, so we could have them in the program longer,” said Casavant.
