LIFE ON CAMPUS BUILDING A HYBRID 2009 ONTARIO LACROSSE FESTIVAL A RESOUNDING SUCCESS. University men s field lacrosse starting to get noticed

Transcription

1 FALL 2009 $4.95 LIFE ON CAMPUS University men s field lacrosse starting to get noticed BUILDING A HYBRID Girls playing both box and field no longer an oddity 2009 ONTARIO LACROSSE FESTIVAL A RESOUNDING SUCCESS CPM Agreement #

2 Regular OLA Greens $ $ Reds $ $ Golds $ $ Platinums $ $

3 Fall 2009 Volume 1 Issue 4 // CONTENTS FEATURES A FESTIVAL TO REMEMBER For 10 days this past summer, the Ontario Lacrosse Festival was once again the site for players, coaches and fans to come together to celebrate the sport they love LIFE ON CAMPUS With men s field lacrosse quickly becoming a popular sport on campuses across Canada, the governing bodies that oversee university athletics in this country are starting to jump on the bandwagon BUILDING THE HYBRID LACROSSE PLAYER Today, more girls are playing both box and field lacrosse, which in turn is creating a better, stronger, smarter and better-rounded athlete BACK TO BACK The Orangeville Northmen repeat as Junior A champions to cap off an amazing Minto Cup in Brampton DEPARTMENTS Photo: Graig Abel Photography NEWS & NOTES CUFLA Final 2009 OLA A Final Six Western Captures OUA Championship Team Ontario Dominates Nationals Hall of Fame Inductees BAGGATAWAY Celebrating 100 years of the Mann Cup Q&A Jamie Dawick, new owner, Toronto Rock EQUIPMENT BAG Holiday Gift Guide IN ACTION Seth Oakes, Team Iroquois ON THE COVER Photo: Pixels Photography Photo: Paul Grossinger Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 3

4 NEWS & NOTES Ontario Lacrosse magazine is the primary source of information for Ontario lacrosse players, parents, coaches and officials. Published quarterly (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), Ontario Lacrosse is mailed directly to more than 10,000 members of the Ontario Lacrosse Association. Our readers turn to the magazine for the latest lacrosse news, products, trends, insights and expert opinion. All editorial submissions and article queries should be sent to Paul Grossinger, editor: The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) or KAP Publishing Ltd. All editorial submissions are subject to editing. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the OLA and KAP Publishing. PUBLISHER Ontario Lacrosse Association 3 Concorde Gate, Suite 306 Toronto, ON M3C 3N7 T: ; F: Published in partnership with: KAP Publishing Ltd Centre Street, Suite 199 Thornhill, ON L4J 8E5 T: ; F: info@kappublishing.com EDITOR Paul Grossinger paul@kappublishing.com ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein markintosh@markintoshdesign.com ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE Dave Douglas CONTRIBUTORS Gary Mark Ryan McLean Roger Lajoie Paul Whiteside Melissa Yollick Canadian Publications Mail # Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: KAP Publishing Ltd. Circulation Department 1054 Centre Street, Suite 199 Thornhill, ON L4J 8E5 Printed in Canada BROCK WINS 18 TH CUFLA CHAMPIONSHIP The Brock Badgers capped its perfect season (13-0) with a dramatic victory over the McMaster Marauders in the Bank of America Baggataway Cup, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association s (CUFLA) men s field lacrosse championship, held on November 8 at Carleton University s Keith Harris Stadium in Ottawa, Mike MacLeod (Owen Sound) was named final s MVP, while his freshman teammate and goalie, Brett Kikot (Toronto) was named MVP of the tournament, registering 32 saves (in two games) and a.681 save percentage. We were prepared as a team going into the championship weekend and the guys came to play, says Justin Kennedy, the Badgers, rookie head coach. The entire team knows what it means to be part of the rich winning tradition at Brock and were focused on bringing the cup back to St. Catharines. The victory represents the 18 th Baggataway Cup championship for Brock in the 25-year history of the event. Leading the Badgers offense were MacLeod and Chris Nash (Toronto) with five points each. Dustin Dunn (Peterborough) and Matt Evans (Peterborough) both chipped in with two goals. The seventh-ranked Marauders earned its place in the championship final after a wild 10-9, triple-overtime upset of third-ranked Trent University in the semi-finals. Chasing the label cardiac kids the entire tournament, McMaster scored with five seconds remaining in regulation time to force OT, twice in 21 seconds to end the second overtime period, and once in the third OT to end the game. All of this effort coming after trailing 5-1 at halftime in regulation. For McMaster, tournament leading-scorer Kevin Macrory (Etobicoke) had six points (5g, 1a) in the final, while Gavin Barrie (Peterborough) scored three times and Cam Murphy (Fergus) twice found the back of the net. TORONTO STARS SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE The Toronto Stars Novice D team had the opportunity to support Breast Cancer Awareness Week with the CBM Breast Cancer Awareness Mixer. The Stars advanced to the semi-finals of the 2009 Warrior/OLA Novice Provincial Championships at this past summer s Ontario Lacrosse Festival. Team members: Connor Lint, Tyler Newman, James Whytock, Matthew Duncan, Liam Foudy, Matthew Judge, Brandon Weeks, Sean Josling, Jayden Vaughan, Davis Park, Karsten Malthaner, Matthew Weiss, Sean Auger, Aidan Jeffrey, Owen Down, Peter Stratis, Dalton McGinnis, Tomas Paunic, Joshua Jackson, Michael Borden-Trahan, Quinten Chrokrev-Evans, Hayden Chrokrev-Evans are joined by coaches Rick and Scott Fitchett. Absent: coaches Jason Doble and Eric Duncan. 4 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

5 Scooping before any high school in Canada. Upper Canada College was the first high school in Canada to have a lacrosse team. Discover UCC and its long history of placing topperforming players in the CUFLA and NCAA men s lacrosse. TOMORROW THINKING

6 NEWS & NOTES 2009 OLA A FINAL SIX 2009 OLA Midget A All-Star Team (left to right): Seth Oakes (Akwesasne), Kanathoso Horn-David (Akwesasne), Johnny Powless (Six Nations), Brett Ritchie (Orangeville), Reilly O Connor (Whitby). Absent: Turner Evans (Peterborough) Guelph Regals, the 2009 OLA Bantam A Champions WESTERN KNOCKS LAURIER OFF OUA PERCH On November 1, at Alumni Field on the campus of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., the Western Mustangs defeated the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 9-5 to capture the 2009 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women s field lacrosse championship. Western s victory ended Laurier s string of six consecutive championship seasons. However, the Golden Hawks did provide some serious drama in the tournament as it ended the University of Toronto Varsity Blues undefeated season (12-0) with a thrilling 8-7 semi-final upset. Western advanced to the final by defeating the Queen s Golden Gaels 8-7. Emmi Morris (Brampton) and Lauren Crape (Calgary, Alta.) led the way for Western in the finals by netting two goals apiece, while singles came from Adrianna Clapp (Brooklin), Lindsay Doxtator (Southwold), Nicole Pullen (Orangeville), Beth Turowec (Oshawa) and Carrie White (Mississauga). Western was backstopped by Summer Windley (Kitchener) who made 25 saves in the championship game. As for Laurier, its goal scorers included Allison Brogan (Port Hope), Amanda Groothuis (Kitchener), Lauren Maltby (Guelph), Braedyn O Rahilly (Whitby) and Sarah Stanley (Whitby). For Lynn Orth, the Golden Hawks head coach, the tournament semi-final was an emotional championship in itself. With such a young team facing an unbeaten, seasoned UofT squad, our task was to convince our players they could win. That goal was achieved and we are very proud of our players for that, she says. A different champion is good for the sport and for us it provides an opportunity for a new era of players to reach new heights and strive for gold. Hopefully, the end of the Laurier lacrosse dynasty is temporary. In the bronze medal game, UofT defeated Queen s 16-10, with the Varsity Blues dynamic all-star trio of Taryn Greider, Jen Held and Yoko Murphy each playing a vital role in the victory. Held (Brampton) led the team with six points, three goals and three assists, while Murphy (Toronto), the 2009 OUA Most Valuable Player, and Greider (Cobourg) each scored four goals in against the Gaels. For Queen s, Lisa McLaughlin (Whitby) had four goals, Martha Ross (Newton, Mass.), two, and Gwyneth Ross (Newton, Mass.), Laura Chambers (Toronto), Marsha Cryderman (Bowmanville) and Murielle Landry (Kingston) each had one. Orangeville Northmen, the 2009 OLA Midget A Champions 2009 OLA Bantam A All-Star Team (left to right): Joel Tinney (Guelph), Drew Coleman (Halton Hills), Brandon Robinson (West Durham) & Michael Panowyk (Whitby). Absent: Cam Milligan (Peterborough) & Will Petchseing (Nepean) 2009 OLA Pee Wee A All-Star Team (left to right): Justin Lemcke (Whitby), Jeff Teat (Brampton), Dawson Theede (Whitby), Davis Neal (Orangeville), Ryan Lynchbury (Burlington) & Matt Carroll (Whitby) TEAM ONTARIO DOMINATES What a year for players and coaches of Team Ontario! The provincial all-star teams captured five of six national titles in The fun started at the Ontario Lacrosse Festival in August in a dramatic way when the Bantam Girls box team, down by a goal and playing short-handed, tied the game with less than 30 seconds remaining. Jordan Mcdonell s second goal of the game forced overtime, where Kennedy Milburn notched the winner to lead Ontario to a 4-3 victory over British Columbia. Next up was the Pee Wee team, who after rolling through round-robin play undefeated, captured the national championship with a 6-3 victory over British Columbia in front of approximately 2,200 fans. Leading the way for Team Ontario was Connor McClelland (2g), Luke Burghardt (1g,1a), Taylor Raddysh (1g), Jeff Teat (1g) Dawson Theede (1g) and Ryan Lanchbury (2a). For Tony Carvalho, Team Ontario s pee wee head coach, our biggest concern going into the championship game was how the team would react to playing in a televised game in front of a large crowd. This was a new situation for all our players. We knew Team B.C. had a solid defensive team, good goaltending and great coaching, so scoring early was important to us. In the end, it was an outstanding game and another banner day for the sport of lacrosse. Later on Super Saturday at the Festival, in a game broadcast live across Ontario s Rogers Cable network, Ontario once gain beat B.C., by a score of 11-7, in the A division final of the STX Bantam Lacrosse Championship of Canada. Top scorers in the game were Cameron Milligan (2g,2a), Nicholas Ritchie (2g,2a) and Brandon Robinson (1g,3a). In the two field events hosted in Winnipeg, Man., on Labour Day weekend, Ontario defeated B.C. in both finals by scores of 16-7 (First Nations Trophy) and 18-6 (Alumni Cup). Afterward, U16 Team Ontario head coach Daryl Haynes said his squad was probably the best team I have ever been associated with in my coaching career. On the field and off the field, these players were first-class representatives of Ontario lacrosse. It was a thrill to be around them. I m uncertain I ll ever see another group like that again. 6 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

7 NEWS & NOTES 2009 CANADIAN LACROSSE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES JACK WILSON (Mississauga) Category: Builder GM of the Mississauga Tomahawks Junior A team GM of three OLA Junior B championship teams (1969, 1986 & 1987) GM of Founders Cup Champion (1986) Member of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame (2003) KEN RUTTAN (Peterborough) Category: Box Player Winner of the Dennis McIntosh Memorial Trophy as OLA Junior A Series MVP (1961) Winner of Minto Cup (1961, Hastings Legionnaires) and Mann Cup (1966, Peterborough Pepsi Petes) Member of the 1967 Canadian Men s Field Lacrosse team (bronze medal) DARRIS KILGOUR (Sanborn, NY) Category: Box Player Tallied 135 goals and 215 assists for 350 points in 60 OLA Junior A games (St. Catharines Athletics) Winner of five consecutive Mann Cups, Mann Cup MVP (1994) Won three NLL titles with Buffalo Bandits (1992, 1993 & 1996) Elected to the NLL Hall of Fame JOHN T. HEWITT D.F.C. (deceased - Toronto) Category: Veteran Two-time winner of the Minto Cup, 1939 & 1940 (Orillia Terriers) Member of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1990) JOHNNY GYPSY MOURADIAN (St. Catharines) Category: Field Player Two-time member of the Canadian National Field Lacrosse Team (1974 & 1978) Winner of four Ontario Senior Field Championships (Oshawa Blue Knights) GM of six NLL champions (Buffalo Bandits & Toronto Rock) Member of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1998) and the NLL Hall of Fame (2007) CHRIS SANDERSON (Orangeville) Category: Field Player Three-time starting goaltender for Canadian National Field Lacrosse Team (1998, 2002 & 2006) Two-time International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) All-World Goaltender, (1998 & 2006) Backstopped Canada to 2006 ILF World Championship 2009 ONTARIO LACROSSE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES GILBERT BOMBERRY (Six Nations) Category: Player Top scorer with the Six Nations Braves and Guelph Mohawks junior teams in the 1960s Two-time winner of Presidents Cup, 1967 & 1969 (Brantford Warriors) LARRY GALBRAITH (Fergus) Category: Builder Dedicated 35 years to lacrosse development in Fergus Helped rebuild Fergus Minor Lacrosse Association PAUL HENHAWK (Six Nations) Category: Player Played junior and senior lacrosse in Six Nations MARK JACOBS (Akwesasne) Category: Player Played from 1962 on junior and senior Awesasne teams Continues to devote his time to coaching and managing youth teams in Eastern Ontario DEREK KEENAN (Oshawa) Category: Player Winner of the Dennis McIntosh Memorial Trophy as OLA Junior A League MVP (1979) Ranks third in all-time points (757) in OLA Junior A League Led OLA Major Series in scoring (1987) and MVP (1988) Three-time Mann Cup Champion, 1985, 1987 & 1988 (Brooklin Redmen) National Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year (1992) Assistant coach of three National Lacrosse League (NLL) Champions: (2000, 2002 & 2003, Toronto Rock) ZENON (ZENNY) LIPINSKI (Brampton) Category: Player Played OLA Junior A League (Brampton) and OLA Major Series (Brantford) Winner of Mann Cup, 1971 (Brantford Warriors) Dedicated 25 years to minor, junior and senior lacrosse development in Brampton BOB LUEY (St. Catharines) Category: Builder Dedicated 33 years to sport as a coach, executive member and Junior A general manager GM of three Minto Cup champions: 1990, 2001 & 2003 (St. Catharines Athletics) Currently sits on the OLA Junior A Lacrosse Council MICHAEL MONTOUR (Six Nations) Category: Builder Coach of the OLA Junior A League Champions, 1998 (Six Nations Arrows) From , coached in the OLA Junior B League (Six Nations Rebels & St. Catharines Spartans) RONALD ROONIE ROUNDPOINT (deceased - Akwesasne) Category: Player Member of the St. Regis Indians, circa Won Eastern Ontario Lacrosse Association (EOLA) championship with St. Regis WALLY THORNE (St. Catharines) Category: Veterans Consistent, high scoring, two-way player in the 1950s and 1960s Team captain of OLA Junior A St. Catharines Athletics, Winner of Minto Cup, 1959 (Brampton Excelsiors) OLA Junior A League MVP (1960) Played OLA Major Series lacrosse with St. Catharines, Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 7

8 BAGGATAWAY// By Paul Whiteside Photos: Ian Sheh A LACROSSE TREASURE THE MANN CUP CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY WITH AN OUTSTANDING FINAL THAT SAW BRAMPTON TRAVEL OUT WEST TO DEFEAT ITS NEW WESTMINSTER RIVALS T he Mann Cup celebrated its 100 th championship this year, a unique anniversary indeed when one considers it is the only championship in the sporting world to have crowned a winner each of those 100 years. After a glorious 2009 final, which saw the Brampton Excelsiors travel to British Columbia to defeat the New Wesminster Salmonbellies 9-7 in the final contest of their seven game series, there was talk the 100 th edition was the best yet. It certainly falls into the as good as any other category for two other Queens Park finals quickly come to mind. In 1985, the Brooklin Redman came from 3-0 to upset New Westminster, with Wayne Colley putting on a goaltending clinic, and two years later, again in New Westminster, the Redmen won a seven game thriller with one four-goal game and the rest decided by two goals or less. What it had, which 1985 and 2009 lacked, was lots of goals: 12-11, and games. Today, lacrosse may be about stopping the other team from scoring, however, for most of its history the game has been about scoring the most goals. Regardless of what series is each fan s favourite, 2009 serves as a reminder of how blessed lacrosse fans are to have a treasure like the Mann Cup: an annual championship that pits east versus west in a best of seven series to see which team is best. Like its predecessor, the Minto Cup, the Mann Cup began as a challenge championship. The Young Toronto s were the first winners in The trophy s stay with the OALA was brief because Vancouver took the cup west in 1911, where it remained in the possession of the B.C. champs until the mid 1920s. When one looks back at the early days of the Mann Cup, one can easily conclude that Ontario teams had a tough time winning out west. As cup holders, B.C. was entitled to host every championship final until one of its teams lost. For most of those years, Ontario did not even send a team to B.C. to challenge for the Mann Cup. In light of that, the CLA went looking for a true national final in 1919 by hosting a fourteam tournament in Winnipeg, Man. In the 1920s the OALA season finished in October and Ontario did not want to shorten its league competition just to accommodate the Mann Cup. Finally, in 1926, the CLA ended the challenge format. Ontario would host the 1926 final and has hosted it every even numbered year since then (with an odd exception in the 1970s). There was still the problem of a 16 game schedule running to mid-october. With the 16-game schedule in place and the slim chance the CLA would condone a final played in November, the OALA compromised with a split season. The league s five clubs would play eight games per half. The team with the best record in 1926 (i.e., Weston) would represent the league in the Mann 8 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

9 BAGGATAWAY Mann Cup Championships by Franchise, Weston went west and lost in 1927, however the league s 1928 season ran into October, well past the Labour Day deadline for the final. Consequently, Ottawa hosted and became the only team outside of B.C. and the OALA to win the Mann # OF TITLES TEAM 22 New Westminster Salmonbellies 12 Peterborough Lakers 10 Brampton Excelsiors 8 Victoria Shamrocks 7 Brooklin Redmen Cup. Once complete, teams would play eight more games to determine league honours. In the end, Weston won the Canadian championship, although 1926 was also the year Weston s run as Ontario champs ended as the Brampton Execlsiors Brampton Excelsiors, 2009 Mann Cup Champions won the league title. Did this mean Brampton had won its first Mann Cup? No way, according to the official record book. No matter who won the Mann Cup that year, 1926 was a pivotal year for the championship simply because it marked the end of B.C. s complete dominance. In fact, B.C. would not win in the east until 1956, when Nanaimo won in Peterborough. Thirty years earlier the idea of an eastern team winning out west was a more daunting prospect. It had never been done before. Even the great National Lacrosse Union clubs from Montreal and Toronto came home humbled each time. It would take the 1929 Oshawa Generals to break the jinx. Despite all these changes, the OALA was still not sold on the format of the Mann Cup. Cup. Oshawa repeated as league champs the next year and this time the Generals would get a shot at the Canadian championship. It was quite a trek. First, they had to defeat Ottawa to secure eastern honours. Next they hopped on the train heading west and won series in Winnipeg and Edmonton to earn the right to play the B.C. champs. On the coast the Generals twice defeated a shocked Salmonbellies squad to make history. This was still during the field era, which would conclude with consecutive Brampton championships (over New Westminster) in 1930 and As the years passed, Mann Cup competition gradually became what it is today. The last eastern championship series was in the 1940s. Stopover series in Winnipeg faded to history before then. Even the days travelling by train were replaced with air travel. By the 1950 the best of five final became a best of seven. We ve had six decades of history making series since then not counting 1973 s one game made for the CBC final. With luck the custodians of the game will 5 Vancouver Burrands 5 St. Catharines Athletics 4 Vancouver Amateurs 3 Vancouver Carlings 3 Orillia Terriers 3 Six Nations Chiefs 2 Hamilton Tigers 2 New Westminster Adanacs 2 New Westminster O Keefes put tradition over external influences for the next half-century and more. Paul Whiteside is a lifetime lacrosse fan whom, back in the 1990s, had the honour of conducting lacrosse research, pre That journey through time took him beyond the box lacrosse era, back to the start of the Ontario Lacrosse Association and the glory days of the National Lacrosse Union. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 9

10 A FESTIVAL to Remember FOR 10 DAYS THIS PAST SUMMER, THE ONTARIO LACROSSE FESTIVAL WAS ONCE AGAIN THE SITE FOR PLAYERS, COACHES AND FANS TO COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE SPORT THEY LOVE // by Gary Mark T he Ontario Lacrosse Festival was once again a hit with players and fans, coaches and everyone else who took in the 10-day event this past summer. On Friday, July 31, I hauled my laptop down to Iroquois Park Arena in Whitby, on what I knew would be a 10-day exciting adventure. The 2009 Ontario Lacrosse Festival saw more than 700 players participate in more than 800 games. On the first day alone, a total of 125 games were played, utilizing 12 different arenas and their facilities. Of course, that demands an enormous referee and minor official pool, as well as a slew of dedicated volunteers to pull it off. It hurt me trying to keep up with all that went on that first day. To be honest, looking back I don t think I did keep up. At the completion of the first day, I remember saying to my wife after getting home close to midnight, I don t know if I can do this for 10 days. She just kind of looked at me and gave me that, You say that every year look. 10 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

11 Fortunately, days two and three, with the added help of one of my sons, went much smoother and I was in my glory. Day three was the end of Peewee and Bantam competitions, but a renewed energy was found with the Opening Ceremonies of the Nationals, as well as the Tykes taking centre stage. These kids were absolutely amazing. The rest of the week seemed to get a little easier than day one. I was in my element, updating everyone on what was going on here in my home town. I was also updating the OLA web site so for those looking to find information and scores, it can be found in two places. In the Peewee division the highlight had to be the B final. It was a cheer fest with both sets of fans rocking Pad #3 of Iroquois Park. In the end, Kitchener-Waterloo defeated Windsor 8-5 to capture the championship. The Boys Bantam Championship games were highlighted by two matches. In the B final, Owen Sound got past Akwesasne 7-5, in a game that Akwesasne looked to have under control early. While in the E final, Gloucester, who needed double overtime Saturday night in the semi-final game to get by Kingston, kept the momentum going with a 2-1 win against Sarnia. Meanwhile, the Girls Bantam Championship saw two Zone 6 rivals, Peterborough and Whitby, up against one another. On this day it was the Lady Lakers that came out on top with a 2-1 victory. In the B final, Elora got by Hamilton 8-3. I was again amazed, like I am every year, at the talent level of the Tykes. When I see these little seven and eight year olds on the floor giving it their all, it is truly a gift to see. The highlight game of the Tyke Championships had to be the B final, which pitted Hamilton against Oakville. It was a back and forth game until midway through the third period, when Hamilton went up by as many as three goals. It was not over though as the Bengals held on late, and were able to fend off the surging Hawks for an 8-7 victory. In the Girls Peewee, Midget and Intermediate Championship finals, it was a clean sweep for the Whitby Warriors. The Peewees got by Peterborough 7-5, the Midgets defeated Arthur 3-1, while the Intermediates outlasted Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 11

12 Photos: Pixels Photography Services 12 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

13 2009 Gatorade/Ontario Lacrosse Festival Championship Scoreboard Division A B C D E Tyke Whitby 11 Hamilton 8 Six Nations 9 Innisfil 10 Burlington #2 4 Peterborough 2 Oakvile 7 KW 5 Oakville #2 4 Guelph #2 3 Novice Whitby #1 7 Orangeville #1 9 Kahawake 6 Hamilton 6 Nepean #2 7 Peterborough #1 5 Orillia 1 Brantford 1 Gloucester #2 4 Orangeville #3 6 Pee Wee KW #1 8 Brampton #2 8 Kahnawake 12 Fort Erie 9 Windsor 5 Sudbury 2 Mississauga #2 7 Beaches #2 2 Bantam Owen Sound 7 Innisfil 10 Barrie 7 Gloucester 2 Akwesasne 5 Welland 2 Sudbury 3 Sarnia 1 Midget Clarington 5 West Durham 6 KW #2 6 North Perth 8 Six Nations 2 Oakville 2 Innisfil 3 Kingston 5 Pee Wee Girls (Box) Whitby 7 Peterborough 5 Bantam Girls (Box) Burlington 2 Elora 8 Whitby #1 1 Hamilton 3 Midget Girls (Box) Whitby #1 3 Mississauga 7 Arthur 1 Elora 4 Intermediate Girls (Box) Whitby 3 Clarington 1 U15 Girls (Field) Misssissauga 5 Burlington 11 Toronto 1 Kawartha 6 U19-Girls (Field) Oshawa 12 Oshawa #2 10 Orillia #2 8 Orangeville 7 Burlington 9 Brampton #2 4 Pee Wee Nationals Ontario 6 Quebec 6 British Columbia 3 New Brunswick 4 (OT) Bantam Nationals Ontario 11 Quebec 7 British Columbia 7 Nova Scotia 5 Bantam Girls Nationals Ontario 4 British Columbia 3 (OT) Clarington by a score of 2-1. Girl s lacrosse has really started to take off, and my hat goes off to all of those working diligently to make this game as popular for the girls as the boys. There was great action at this Festival and I hope more minor lacrosse associations get on board with programs for girls. The last two groups to participate in their provincial finals were the Novices and Midgets. There were two highlight games in the Novice group, with the Whitby Warriors defeating the Peterborough Lakers 7-5 to capture the A final. The E final saw Nepean squeak out a close 7-6 win over Orangeville #3. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 13

14 WHEN I SEE THESE LITTLE SEVEN AND EIGHT YEAR OLDS ON THE FLOOR GIVING IT THEIR ALL, IT IS TRULY A GIFT TO SEE. In Midget, one of the highlights was the group from West Durham, which captured the C final over Oakville #2 by a 6-2 score. Both teams overcame some adversity throughout their provincial championships to even get to the finals. On August 5, the National Championships moved from Legends Centre to Iroquois Park and the big anticipated match-ups between Ontario and British Columbia took place. We did a web cast and promoted it to all the folks in B.C. We had more than 150 viewers watching the games on the Internet. Super Saturday had us broadcast the finals of the six national games for Rogers TV, which were Photos: Paul Grossinger shown across Ontario. And for those like me that really want to promote this great game to more and more people, these final games could not have been a better endorsement. With two of the first three finals going into overtime, excited screaming fans, music playing, it had all the makings of what we affectionately coined Lacrosse Day in Canada. And like every year, there were happy faces, upset faces, positive encouraging parents, crazy screaming parents, happy vendors, tired, overworked yet dedicated volunteers, good coaches, not so well behaved coaches, good calls, bad calls, rainy weather, hot muggy weather, and so much more that makes this event so great. This was year six for the Ontario Lacrosse Festival and I was amazed again at how it has grown. And it is because of the countless volunteers both at the Festival and in the form of coaches, trainers, managers, and yes the parents of kids that this all happens. A big congratulations and thank you must go to the Ontario Lacrosse Association for its uncanny vision and steering this ship in the right direction. But as always, the biggest thank you must go out to all of the kids that play the creator s game. The entertainment value that they provide us adults is priceless. Gary Mark is with Lacrosse Inside The Game ( 14 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

15

16 CUPS IN REVIEW THE SEASON ENDED ON A HIGH NOTE FOR OWEN SOUND AFTER WINNING ITS SECOND CONSECUTIVE PRESIDENT S CUP, BUT FOR THE CLARINGTON GREEN GAELS, ITS SEASON ENDED IN DISAPPOINTMENT AS IT CAME UP SHORT IN ITS QUEST TO HOIST ANOTHER FOUNDERS CUP // By Roger Lajoie T his time the Owen Sound Van- Dodler s Home Team Woodsmen left no doubt about who is the best team in Canadian Senior B lacrosse. Owen Sound won the President s Cup for the second consecutive time in 2009, downing the TriCity Bandits from British Columbia 11-5 in the championship game to earn yet another Canadian Lacrosse Association Senior B championship. It s never easy to win a national crown and the first title is often the toughest, but this time around the Woodsmen left no doubt, dominating the league in Ontario and then rolling to the national title. The first time we hoped we knew what we needed to do to win, but this time we knew exactly what we needed to do to win and we did it, said Mark Berner, general manager of the Woodsmen, after the title game. That s why we ve been accused of dominating the league all year long. We put together a team where every guy had a job and they did it. The Woodsmen were a team that felt the key to success all season was to jump all over the opposition early, figuring its run-and-gun offence would be hard to comeback against. They were right, especially in the final game of the season. We were able to get out to a quick start because teams have a tough time coming back against us, recalls Owen Sound coach, Ian McGough. Owen Sound led the final game 5-0 before it was nine minutes old, a perfect example of the kind of success it enjoyed all season. Rob Milnes, Ryan Benesch and Jamie Grimoldby all scored twice in the finale while Wayne Burke, Bryan Kazarian, Mike MacLeod, Matt Quinton and Brandon McMillen also found the back of the net for the Woodsmen. Steve Dietrich made 30 saves for the win. This is the best feeling in the world, says McMillen. I never really have had a feeling like this before and to win it with this bunch of guys is great. The host Six Nations Sting won the bronzemedal game, defeating the Niagara Hawks 8-7. Meanwhile, the Junior B season came to a disappointing end for the Clarington Green Gaels, who figured they had an excellent chance to hoist the Founders Cup once again in But for just the third time in the 38-year history of the Founders Cup, Junior B s lacrosse national championship tournament, an Ontario team failed to take home top honours as the heavily-favoured Green Gaels lost the title game 8-4 to the Calgary Mountaineers held in Beaumont, Alta. After dominating the OLA Junior B season with a 19-1 record and claiming another provincial title, the Green Gaels appeared poised to take yet another Founders Cup, having won the national title in 1998, 2000, 2002 and But some questionable officiating certainly didn t help the Green Gaels, which had six goals called back due to crease violations in the final game loss. Photos: LDM Photography 16 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

17 It really hurt us in the offensive zone because they just weren t themselves after that, says Jason Crosbie, Clarington s head coach. We were baffled, just baffled. Did we deserve to win? I don t know. We struggled and we ve struggled since we ve been here, and we definitely had the best team here. We just didn t get it done when we needed to. Clarington easily won its first five games at the event, including a 10-6 win over Calgary in the round-robin. But in the final game the called off goals came early and resulted in a 6-4 deficit after two periods. Despite the fact the Green Gaels usually dominated its opposition in the final period, they couldn t mount any offence in the finale, with Calgary goalie Jake Dietrich making 53 saves. It was still a memorable year for the Green Gaels as the team survived some tough early playoff series before downing the Elora Mohawks 13-7 to sweep the OLA Junior B lacrosse championship series. The Green Gaels certainly lived up to their motto of Family, Honour, Pride, Tradition this season, even though they fell one win short of a fifth national Junior B title. Roger Lajoie is a freelance writer in Toronto, Ont. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 17

18 Life CAMPUS ON MEN S FIELD LACROSSE IS QUICKLY BECOMING A POPULAR SPORT ON CAMPUSES ACROSS CANADA, BUT IT WILL NEVER RECEIVE THE STATUS IT DESERVES UNTIL IT RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM ALL OF THE GOVERNING BODIES THAT OVERSEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS IN THIS COUNTRY. FORTUNATELY, THAT DAY MAY BE COMING SOON! // By Ryan McLean T here is no doubt that U.S. colleges showcase some of the best amateur lacrosse in the world. Although it often over shadows the quality of amateur lacrosse in Canada, people are starting to stand up and take notice at the level of play being exhibited in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA). From its humble beginnings, CUFLA has grown to 12 teams in Ontario and Quebec from Photos: Pellerins Photography a mere four teams when the league first began in CUFLA is the governing body for intercollegiate lacrosse in Canada with teams ranging from fully funded varsity programs to intercollegiate club teams. Even though the league doesn t receive the exposure the NCAA receives in the U.S. the quality of players coming out of CUFLA is quite impressive. Over the past 25 years, the quality of play has grown exponentially, asserts Ryan McGrath, CUFLA s assistant commissioner, adding more than 50 CUFLA alumni have or are currently playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). CUFLA alumni scored the championship game winning goals in the Major Lacrosse 18 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

19 League, NLL and the Mann Cup, points out a proud McGrath. The interesting thing is in the past, Canadians have been eager to go play south of the border, but now Americans are being recruited more and more for CUFLA, which is turning heads. In fact, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men s lacrosse team currently has five Americans on its roster. For years now, young Canadian athletes have been lured stateside with scholarships and/or the possibility of playing with some of the best young lacrosse players in North America. However, leaving Canada to play lacrosse at the university level may not always be the best fit either academically or from a lacrosse perspective. Today, those interested in playing men s field lacrosse have an option and it is CUFLA. Many schools field competitive teams, with some (e.g., McMaster in Hamilton and Brock in St. Catherines) even playing some games against NCAA Division 1 teams. Ultimately, field lacrosse has become extremely popular in Canada, especially at the university level. To help with the transition from box, traditionally played in Canada, to field, Joe Nizch, manager of the UofT Blues lacrosse team, has brought in coaches with a strict field background to teach his players. If you look at the minor systems like Ontario minor midget and bantam field lacrosse, says Mike Frith assistant coach for the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, the number of minor programs that exist now versus 15 years ago is evident of the shift. Helping this rise in field lacrosse is the Internet, which helps students and fans follow the sport, and some television coverage, albeit limited and narrow in scope. Perhaps one of the biggest boosts the sport received was in 2006, when Canada won the Warrior World Championships held in London, Ont. This really opened people s eyes and if field lacrosse wasn t Canada s game before, it sure was now, believes Firth. To see just how university lacrosse in Canada has grown, one just has to look at the success of the Western Mustangs. Its men s field lacrosse team has about 200 fans supporting it at home games and with Facebook pages and a new team website, the sport s popularity on campus continues to grow. For its part, CUFLA has also attempted to build up lacrosse s status on Canadian campuses. It has initiated some opening day tournaments, like the Great Canadian Lax Bash, to help promote the league on top of the annual Baggataway Cup Championship. This past event showcased a Western division with games played at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo and an Eastern division played at Trent University in Peterborough, which were both highly successful, according to McGrath. All our coaches are out there working hard to recruit the best players. I would argue that this is the best amateur field lacrosse in the country, says McGrath. One of the ways CUFLA hopes to increase its stature on the university athletics scene is by applying for admittance into the Ontario University Athletics (OUA). For McGrath, OUA membership is crucial in removing the sport s stigma as a club sport, and transitioning it to where it belongs: a varsity sport. This is the main reason coaches are pursuing the status to help eliminate the stigma and gain the varsity status, he says. Ryan McLean is a freelance writer in Calgary, Alta. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 19

20 20 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

21 BUILDING THE HYBRID LACROSSE PLAYER TODAY, MORE GIRLS ARE PLAYING BOTH BOX AND FIELD LACROSSE, WHICH IN TURN IS CREATING A BETTER, STRONGER, SMARTER AND BETTER-ROUNDED ATHLETE THAT WILL ONLY BENEFIT THEM AND CANADIAN LACROSSE IN THE LONG TERM // By Melissa Yollick Photos: Pixels Photography Services A t this year s Ontario Lacrosse Festival, held this past summer in Whitby, Ont., eight girls took home gold medals in more than one event, with some sweeping the podium in the Bantam A box division, the Field U15 B division and the national Bantam box division. What differentiated these girls from the rest of the outstanding participants was their dedication to both box and field lacrosse a decision that some lacrosse insiders feel will eventually lead them to a place on the world stage. Years ago, girls didn t have a choice when it came to lacrosse in Canada. Girl s field lacrosse didn t really exist, so players were taught box instead. This all changed in 1982, when according to the Team Canada Women s Lacrosse website, the International Federation of Women s Lacrosse Associations held its first World Cup. Canada s national team comprised of box lacrosse players quickly learned the field game and placed third overall. Today, the choose box or field lacrosse attitude is changing. Nowadays, playing both box and field is slowly being encouraged by lacrosse coaches and adopted by female players across the country. It can also be seen at the top as World Cup players are proving their skills in both games are making them fierce competitors. When we all got back from the World Cup, people who were leading the organization at that time realized they needed to get heavy into the Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 21

22 field game, says Marie (Gilkinson) Pringle, who played in the 1982 World Cup, and is now assistant coach of Team Ontario and head coach of the Burlington Bantam Girls. Over the years, box kind of dwindled and field grew up. About five years ago, a group of people got together in the Greater Toronto Area and re-launched the girls-only box program. When box re-launched, it started attracting brand new girls to the sport. There was a couple of people who believed that it makes you a better box player if you re also a field player, she adds, and those people in those organizations promoted their box players crossing over to field. There s been some quite accomplished players who have come up with girls box and moved over to field, adds Jim Calder, vice-president of girls lacrosse for the Toronto Stars Lacrosse Association. He mentions Troyhann Santos and Dana Dobbie as some examples of crossover successes at the World Cup level. The benefits of playing both box and field lacrosse range from the simple fact that these girls are constantly improving their stick skills, to subtler advantages like developing their aiming and fitness level. Brianna Kennelly, 14, plays both box and field lacrosse, and holds three gold medals from the 2009 championships in Whitby. She plays for the Burlington Chiefs for both box and field lacrosse and was on Canada s national box lacrosse team. As both a box and field lacrosse player, she has seen an improvement in her game since taking up field lacrosse a year ago. She thinks the success from this year s nationals will encourage more girls to start playing both brands of lacrosse. Playing both helps me find different strategies, she says. Playing field lacrosse taught me how to use bounce shots more effectively and it keeps you in shape too. Using the field stick also got me better at aiming properly. Originally, only two people played both [box and field lacrosse] from my team and they kept encouraging more people to play. I think after hearing our success and how much fun we had, even more people will come. 22 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

23 Calder also encourages the girls to play both sports as he sees the advantages it has on their skill set. I think the box game made them get used to moving the ball quickly and I think because the box game is a physical game, our girls are very confident with the ball, he notes. The field game helps the girls play the box game because you re playing with a very shallow pocket. If you can manage to play with a shallow pocket in the field game, when you get a box stick with a deep pocket it is easy to play with. Troyhann Santos, a four-time World Cup player and coach of the Team Ontario Girls Box squad, began playing box lacrosse on a boys team at the age of 11. When she crossed over to the field game, her box skills were initially thought of as a disadvantage to her field game. Now, however, her box skills are perceived as a benefit. At first it was seen as a disadvantage to play box lacrosse because people said that you picked up bad habits, but the girls game has adapted so much becoming more like a box game that now those skills, which people thought were detrimental to my playing, are actually advantageous to my playing, she says. Even though the box skills may help their field game, playing both sports can be difficult on the players. At the 2009 championships this summer, the crossover girls played 15 games in less than a week. The logistics of the event did pose some disadvantages to the girls that were playing both sports. The scheduling was exhausting, and injuries occurred. At the championship, the injuries that we could have gotten could have carried over to our next sport, recalls Kennelly. One girl on my team hurt her leg and there was a box game right after field. I hurt myself at the end of the box provincials so I was playing the nationals with a sore leg. Injuries and possible scheduling conflicts aside, between the two games, there are more opportunities for university scholarships in field lacrosse. According to Santos, at the World Cup level, the Canadian girls are the only competitors that have learnt both games. She feels the skills acquired in the box game have brought about a different type of player when compared to girls who only play field. She describes it as a hybrid of box and field player. If box lacrosse helps these girls become more skilled at the field game, then they should have a leg-up on the competition, especially if they are competing for scholarships against girls who only play field lacrosse. Overall, the girls that play both sports have proven its advantages by their stellar showing at the national championships this past summer. As the trend continues, there will be more coordination required to eliminate scheduling conflicts and back-to-back games that involve the same players. That said, some of these girls just can t get enough lacrosse, whether field or box, and are looking to hone their skills regardless of the venue. I think the reality is if you love the sport and have a chance to play it more often, it s unique that you can play a similar sport in different varieties and get to use the same skills, says Pringle. The key is making both sports work to their advantage. With cooperation from coaches in both field and box lacrosse, and synchronization between the different sports, these girls can be given the chance to thrive. Melissa Yollick is a freelance writer in Toronto, Ont. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 23

24 BACK TO BACK // By Roger Lajoie THE ORANGEVILLE NORTHMEN REPEAT AS JUNIOR A CHAMPIONS TO TOP OFF AN AMAZING MINTO CUP THAT SAW BRAMPTON PLAY HOST TO 10 DAYS OF GREAT LACROSSE Photos: Pellerins Photography I In the mind of Dean MacLeod, commissioner of the OLA Junior A League, the 2009 Minto Cup could not have had a better ending. Not that the commissioner was cheering for the Orangeville Rayburn Construction Northmen to win the round-robin tournament which it did he just feels the entire tournament at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ont., couldn t have worked out better for everybody involved. First and foremost the organizing committee in Brampton did a job that was second to none, MacLeod says. All of the work they did in the 16 months leading up to the event, and right through the best-of-three final, was great. It was a great 10 days of lacrosse in Brampton and we really couldn t have asked for anything better. Orangeville completed the round-robin portion of the event with a perfect 3-0 record, including an 8-5 win over its arch-nemesis and gracious host, Brampton Excelsiors. That moved the Northmen into the final, where they again faced the Excelsiors, who beat Coquitlam 12-6 in the other semi-final game. The relatively new Minto Cup format then resulted in a best-of-three finals to determine the winners, and that series was indeed a classic. Orangeville won the opener 10-9 but an 11-8 loss in game two set the stage for a sudden-death showdown for the national title. The Orangemen finally prevailed 8-4 before a near capacity crowd that featured a large contingent of Orangeville fans that saw their local heroes claim their second consecutive Minto Cup title. The two best teams were in the final and when you really look at it, the best team won, MacLeod says. We were obviously pleased from an Ontario perspective to have two teams in the final and to have Orangeville win again was certainly not unexpected. Both Orangeville and Brampton had been 24 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

25 I m so proud of this team. To be able to do it against our archrivals, Brampton, in front of our fans from 30 minutes down the road makes it a little bit sweeter. To hear the crowd behind us every night, you can t ask for more as a player, he says. It s simply an unbelievable way to end your junior career. I can t say enough about this group of guys. Adam Jones was named tournament MVP after an outstanding tournament. It was our goal all along to try to defend our championship, asserts Matt Sawyer, Orangeville s head coach. We had a sign up in our room that said: Great teams are not defined by a single championship. We wanted to prove we re a great team. We were more than happy with winning it last year but we were on a mission from the get-go to defend this thing. expected to make the finals, but the series was anything but anti-climatic. After splitting the first two games, a crowd of 3,800 looked on as the Northmen roared into an early 3-0 lead and never lost its lead, despite a spirited late Brampton comeback attempt. The victory was a hard earned one for the Orangeville club, but the taste of victory was every bit as sweet for the team the second time around, especially with so many of the team s fans on hand. They are the greatest supporters anywhere, says Jesse Gamble, one of the stars of the Northmen. Right now, I am on such a high, there is nothing else like it. It just all came together and I couldn t ask for anything more in my last year with this team. Final game MVP Nick Rose echoed his teammate s remarks. It is so satisfying to win it again, he adds. I m so proud of this team. To be able to do it against our archrivals, Brampton, in front of our fans from 30 minutes down the road makes it a little bit sweeter. The Excelsiors were obviously disappointed, but their coach Brian Beisel praised the winners. We knew we needed to play our best game to beat them and we didn t play our best game, he says. They deserved it. They played better than us. We re proud of our guys for taking it to the limit, but congratulations to Orangeville. In MacLeod s mind everyone involved in the tournament deserves congratulations. We were in the best facility we ve probably ever played in and it s not easy when you have a building this size, especially with all of the costs associated with it, MacLeod says. But if you want luxury you have to pay for luxury. For 80 per cent of the fans in Southern Ontario, this was the best place to play and they all got to see a hell of a tournament in the best venue that we could have come up with. It really was a great week. The 2010 Minto Cup tournament will be played in Coquitlam, B.C. Roger Lajoie is a freelance writer in Toronto, Ont. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 25

26 Q+A // With Jamie Dawick Photo: Toronto Rock With the help of new recruits like Phil Sanderson and Sandy Chapman, Scott Campbell (pictured) hopes the Air Canada Centre is rocking come the Toronto Rock s 2010 season 26 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

27 Q+A STARTING from SCRATCH IT S BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE THE TORONTO ROCK HOISTED THE NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE S CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY. LAST SEASON, THE TEAM EVEN FAILED TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. TODAY, THEY HAVE A NEW COACH, NEW GENERAL MANAGER, A SLEW OF NEW PLAYERS AND EVEN A NEW OWNER, JAMIE DAWICK. ONTARIO LACROSSE SITS DOWN WITH THE TEAM S NEW BOSS TO HEAR HOW HE PLANS TO RETURN THE ROCK TO ITS WINNING WAYS. BACKGROUND I was born and raised in Oakville. I have different ventures in Oakville and I am an avid sports fan. The Toronto Rock has now become my focus in terms of time and effort. I am running the company on a day-to-day basis to bring it back to where I want it to be. concepts our coach and GM believe in. We ve also brought in Tyler Codron from the Portland Lumberjax (second pick in dispersal draft) and Pat McCready from the Buffalo Bandits. Offensively, we have added three young offensive players in the draft to make up for some of the offensive guys we traded away. LACROSSE HISTORY I got into lacrosse about five years ago because of my children. Over this time, I have become more and more involved, and have grown a great love for the game. I never played lacrosse. I ve been going to Toronto Rock games since they ve been in Toronto, but my real knowledge of the game has come from my kids. I got three boys that play, and next year, all three will be playing rep lacrosse in Oakville. Basically, my summer months are nothing but lacrosse. We are not hockey players because we ski in the winter and it has become our sport over the past few years. It is a great sport and I love it: I love its tightness, I love the fact these guys still play for love of the game and I love that the lacrosse community is so strong. People have to see this game and when they do, they will fall in love with it. INTEREST IN THE TORONTO ROCK In the back of my mind, I ve always had the desire to own a sports team and lacrosse has become such a big part of my life recently that when this opportunity presented itself, I knew it was for me. It is a match made in heaven. I m committed to bringing this franchise back to where it should be. NEW DIRECTION To me change starts at the top and I brought in, whom I think is the best coach and general Jamie Dawick manager available in the league: Troy Cordingley and Terry Sanderson. I fully believe they are proven winners and know what it takes to win. They will bring in the right guys. The Rock, over the past few years, has lost some of their characters guys and lacrosse is the ultimate team game. We have made a lot of changes since Terry was brought in. We had a good draft and picked up some young talent. Rome wasn t built in a day and we feel really good about the direction we are heading. One thing that I can guarantee is that the Toronto Rock will be the hardest working team in this league and the guys will be playing for the logo on the front of their jersey. ROSTER CHANGES The majority of our work has been on the defensive end. We brought back Sandy Chapman and Phil Sanderson, two great players and two great locker room guys. These guys are hard working, good people, who understand the BUILDING FAN SUPPORT We are always looking at growing that. My goal is for the Air Canada Centre to be sold out. We have eight home games and I have no doubt we are going to sell that building out. We are going to play the brand of lacrosse people are going to enjoy watching. We believe we will be competitive instantly and we plan to bring back the winning tradition of the Rock. We are going to be out promoting the Rock as much as possible. I spent a week at the Ontario Lacrosse Festival and there are just so many people who love [this sport]. We will give them a product they will be happy to come out and watch and support. WINNING WAYS I m here to win; Terry, Troy are here to win. Everything we are doing is to win each and every year. Toronto is looking for a winner and I like to think lacrosse fans are pretty loyal and we will get those people out, but winning is the clincher. GRASSROOTS FOCUS Lacrosse is a sport for all ages, but it does start with the kids and we want it to be a family atmosphere. We think it is a perfect place for families to come. I want my players to interact with the fans and that is the beauty of lacrosse. These guys are not multi-millionaires; they are regular guys who have jobs and play for the love of the game. This is a new group and a new direction. Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 27

28 EQUIPMENT BAG // Holiday Gift Guide GAIT LACROSSE Toxic The Toxic lacrosse head is a Canadian Box Lacrosse Special Edition. It features Drop V Scoop for quick release and improved accuracy, patented recessed lace channel that reduces wear of stringing, offset head for improved balance and feel, multi-hole stringing system, pinched profile, new handle, and Z09 box weight design for advanced performance and durability. HARROW Sports Torrent The Torrent glove features the triple flex cuff system with floating wrist guard, which allows for joint mobility and all angle protection. It comes with a reinforced leather palm with mesh backing, quadruple density impact foam, smooth cool-wick performance liner, and ergonomic pad design shaped for ultimate hand flex. UNDER ARMOUR Compression Short The boy s 4 compression short with cup pocket comes with anti-microbil that keeps it odour free. The key compression piece is flatlock seamed and fully reinforced to provide comfort and durability, while HeatGear fabric keeps players cool and dry. Constructed of 86 per cent nylon and 14 per cent Elastane, the short offers strategic venting and ultraviolet protection that protects skin from the sun. CASCADE CPV The CPV helmet is engineered for players with smaller frames. It features low profile design, a visor and chin strap that are tailored to accommodate a wide range of head sizes in serious style, FreeFlow venting to keep players cool in sweaty situations, SPRfit (Swiss Precision Ratchet) that allows players to change sizes and get perfectly fitted in seconds, EPP liner and dovetail liner system, and chevron mask that comes with the slightest V in the centre of the latitude that helps players with their vision downward and up field. TALON Thunder The Thunder lacrosse stick is constructed of high-strain fiberglass with ash wood veneer exterior. It weighs 10.5 ounces, measures 32-inches in length, and is designed for the more physical play of the indoor game. Other features include: Kanuga grip, a traditional octagon shape at both ends with a soft triangle shape in the middle for optimum grip and feel, and fiberglass core that provides flexibility in the shaft and helps to increase shooting speed. HEAD-CASE LACROSSE Head-Case Head-Case is a patented design lacrosse stick accessory that protects lacrosse stick pockets from inclement weather, without having to carry a stick bag everywhere. Head-Case s can be customized with team name, logo, player name or number. They are lightweight, waterproof and available in two colours: black and navy blue, both of which can support embroidering and/or silk screening in virtually any colour scheme. BANGERZ Eye Shield The HS-8000 eye shield offers complete eye protection with the benefits of a sunshield. Constructed of LEXAN highimpact, extra resistant polycarbonate, the shield is suitable for lacrosse players of all ages, and provides extrawide vision with zero distortion. The shield, with its anti-scratch coating, eliminates harmful ultra-violet rays and shields eyes from dirt, mud and airborne particles Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

29 Holiday Gift Guide // EQUIPMENT BAG BRINE Vantage The Vantage goggle meets ASTM F803 for field hockey and women s lacrosse. Available in a variety of sizes, it features a low-profile design that provides unobstructed view for maximum vision, contoured foam for maximum airflow to face, open cage for unrestricted performance in foul weather, integrated dual head strap design for a tight fit, and lightweight design that reduces slippage during play. STX Cell Cell gloves come in black, navy, red and royal, and feature isoblox technology that delivers protection and complete range-of-motion in the cuff and backhand. Its patented Maximum Mobility system, with specialized island stitching that works like a car s independent suspension, allows a player s glove to move in all the same ways as his or her hand. Other features include: quick-pull drawstrings on the cuff for on-the-fly adjustment, sweat wicking glove liner, STX TriFlex finger design, and microbe shield that protects against odours. FIRSTAR Contour Fit Long Sleeve Shirt The Contour Fit Long Sleeve Shirt is a close-to-the-body, non-compression shirt that features MST four-way stretch for total multi-sport performance, mobility and recovery, wash after wash. Available in a wide range of team colours and ideal for base layer use beneath pads or uniform, the Contour features Bio-Sense Fit and odour dissipating technology. SHOCK DOCTOR Contour Ultra STC The Ultra STC mouth guard features super tight compression gel fit, gel-fit liner that custom molds to teeth, shock transfer core that directs impact away from the vulnerable front teeth to stronger triple-rooted molars to stabilize and shield the teeth, air cushion shock pads, and Mora Performance Enhancement that when fitted and worn correctly, positions the lower jaw down and forward and the tongue up onto the roof of the mouth, which may increase strength and athletic performance. Latex free, the Ultra STC also comes with a convertible quick-release tether that allows the mouthguard to be used strapped or strapless. CRADLEMASTER Training Device The CradleMaster is a new, patent pending lacrosse training device that allows players to safely cradle and work on stick skills, using a regulation size/weight lacrosse ball without the ball being propelled out of the head. This product allows safe practice without the loss of feel. It can be used to increase the effectiveness of practices for it allows players, during warmup/cooldown runs, to spend more time running and cradling and less time chasing down the ball. It can be used for practicing face-off techniques by oneself, as well as allows players to practice pinch & pops alone without having to go after the ball each time. WARRIOR LACROSSE Goon The Goon is a full-length carbon composite shaft. Its grip coatings offer players ball control while cradling, while aggressive full-length graphics give the shaft some character. It comes with a six-month limited warranty against manufacturing defects. To have your company s lacrosse products considered for potential preview in a future issue of Ontario Lacrosse magazine, or on its web site, product features, specifications and high resolution picture to: info@kappublishing.com Fall 2009 Ontario LACROSSE 29

30 IN ACTION August 29, OT goals vs. Team Ontario Midget Lacrosse Championship of Canada CLA championship-game record Photo: Pellerins Photography SETH OAKES #66 Team Iroquois 30 Ontario LACROSSE Fall 2009

31

32