Westlock U17 Lacrosse team brings home the bronze for the second time

The Westlock Rock U17 Lacrosse team headed to Calgary to face off at Provincials on July 12 and 13 for their second year in a row, bringing home the bronze. 

Five teams from different regions of Alberta went head-to-head to decide who was the very best.

Our own U17 champions found themselves back there for the second time in a row, this time with more players and more training.

Josh Booth, head coach and recent graduate of R.F. Staples worked tirelessly with the team to get them in the right head space to take on their fearsome competitors.

“Pretty much our practices have just consisted of getting our feet moving, a lot of passing, shooting, and just keeping it similar to what we have been doing all year.”

No additional practices were added to account for the championship move but that’s because the team had no doubt they would make it to provincials.

While Booth may be one of the youngest head coaches for the Rocks, that does not mean he is any less qualified. He plays on his own team in Beaumont where he learns new tricks of the trade that he can pass off in his own practices “I’m still learning too and it’s kind of like a ripple effect because my coaches are really experienced. They’ve played really high-level lacrosse, and one almost played for the NLL (National Lacrosse League)”

Even though the team also placed bronze last year, Booth said that there was a skill gap that stemmed from having a combined U15 and U17 team, "Last year we had so many guys that were playing as underage and we had more of a skill gap and I feel like we kind of closed that skill gap."

With over ten of the U17 team aging out of the Westlock Rocks after the season ends, Booth hopes that some of them still continue to play the sport even if it's just for fun, “I want to teach them that they should always prepare for the next level in every way you can."

Booth talked about the morale and connection that the team has both on and off the field, saying that while some kids may be more skilled because they have been playing longer, while others have pure athleticism running through their veins, the biggest thing that got them to victory was teamwork.

“Being a part of a team and working hard is going to beat out anything over just having straight skill because if you have a lot of skill and no one gives effort and everyone kind of does their own thing, that's not how you win championships.”

In a statement made during the Westlock County Council meeting on July 8, CAO Tony Kulbisky acknowledged the dedication and hard work of the U17 team saying that “A number of these players have been together for over 10 years and will be playing their final games as a team this weekend. Good luck to players and coaches.