Orillia Jr. B Kings lacrosse coaches, players, and management believe commitment - at every level, from everyone involved - is critical to making it to playoffs this year.
That was the common sentiment that prevailed at a meet ‘n’ greet held Saturday at St. Louis Bar and Grill, a sponsor of the team.
“I was on the team last year and I think commitment was a major factor that was missing,” said Mike Montgomery, who is in his fourth year with the team. “Simply, guys were there to get their minds off of other things, while myself and some other players were there because we wanted to play for the team.”
Ashton Twyman, who will be trying out when training sessions begin at the Mnjikaning Arena Sports Ki in Rama on Feb. 2, said he could see the same lack of commitment, even as he watched from the sidelines.
“My brother was on the team,” said the 16-year-old. “I could see some of the guys were just not committed.”
He said he wants to try out because he loves the sport.
“I want to help out; it’s my team,” said the Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School student. “I’m putting my heart into it.”
A new executive, club members and earlier training sessions, Montgomery said, could set a good pace for the team.
“It’s a good thing moving forward,” said the 19-year-old. “It’ll help us get a lot more practice and teammates to become comfortable with one another.”
Team general manager Rob Blasdell said one reason for the lack of commitment was the ratio of players to available team positions.
“Last year, fewer players tried out,” he said. “That meant they had the upper hand. This year, the tables are turned and we have 40 kids on the roster.”
Twyman said he believes once the team starts winning games, more players will want to become part of the team.
“The coaches and management have done a good job in bringing on people,” said the Orillia resident, adding if athletes have to fight for a spot on the team, they will be more motivated to show their worth.
Blasdell and head coach Rob McDonald believe one way to motivate dedicated players to come forward is by making commitment a top priority.
“We’re trying to build a team for the next five years and that comes with commitment,” said McDonald, who has been a lacrosse coach for several years. “We can build on the skill and system once we have a team.”
He said the club is also taking a different approach to training this year. One way is by starting at the beginning of next month, instead of the end of March.
This way, McDonald said, the team has almost two months of practices before they start playing games in April.
“We’re (also) treating the training sessions as tryouts and not as a time for people to show us their skills,” he added. “We want to use the training time to work on our drills and our defence and offence systems.”
Last year, the team did not make the playoffs, said McDonald. He cited losses in four crucial games - games the team could have won - led to the Kings missing the post-season.
The issue? A lack of commitment, he said.
“Last year, I felt the room was slightly divided between older and new players,” said McDonald, adding, “Anytime there is a change in the program, there’s a divide in the group. That’s something we want to work on.”
He said he is hopeful of better results this year.
“I’ve been through minor coaching here,” said McDonald. “I’ve seen the skills that are coming up in the team. We’ve played some high-end lacrosse and now it’s just putting together the team of old and new.
“There’s not a doubt in my mind that we shouldn’t (make the) playoffs, as long as these athletes are willing to commit and work together,” he added.
In addition to the steps the executive has already taken, Montgomery said assigning captains would be a good idea.
“They could assign captains to push the newer group,” he said. “Right now, all we can do to prepare is go to the gym and do our best to be ready.”
