Lacrosse has exploded across the Lakeland over the past year and nine players from Bonnyville and Cold Lake have gone on to help the Vermillion Roar, a junior B lacrosse team, capture provincial gold in tier 2 this season.
“It was really nice for these nine kids from the Lakeland to be able to go to Vermillion to play,” said Daryl Hodinksy, a Lakeland Heat head coach for three teams in Bonnyville who acted as a replacement assistant coach for the Roar July 14-15. “It took a big commitment…to go play there but they reaped the huge reward by winning not only the league but (also) provincial gold.”
Bonnyville's Kyle Hodinsky and Colten Batke, along with seven players from Cold Lake, helped lead the Vermillion Roar to a 2-1 series victory over the Lethbridge Barracudas during the provincial championship final. After winning a close first game and then getting blown out during the second, the Roar battled hard to win the series in an exciting third game that ended in over time.
“The teams were evenly matched, it could have been anybody's series,” said Hodinksy. “They were close games…the last game was really good…We ended regulation 8-8…then we had to play a 10 minute overtime period where we pretty much dominated.”
After struggling with player numbers over the past few seasons, the Roar were pleased to welcome players from Bonnyville, who had never actually played lacrosse but joined the team after hearing about the opportunity from Cold Lake players. With the additional players, the Roar were able to sail to a 19-1 record that saw them capture the Northern Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (RMLL) Championship on route to a spot in the provincial championship final.
“It was their first time playing lacrosse ever in their life, they hardly watched the game, let alone played it,” explained Hodinsky of the rookie Bonnyville players. “Vermillion welcomed the kids into their organization and (were) just super about it. Even though (they were) brand new kids…they just welcomed them and worked with them and made them better players”
The Bonnyville – Cold Lake area does not currently have a junior league to cater to the 17-21 year olds that played with the Roar this past season but the victory over the weekend of July 14-15 comes after growing popularity of lacrosse in the area caused an expansion of the Lakeland Heat organization, started in Cold Lake, into the town of Bonnyville.
“This was the first year for lacrosse in Bonnyville,” said Hodinsky. “We had seven kids that went and played lacrosse in Cold Lake (last year)…so we got some other kids interested and we played it and they really liked it so I figured, ‘Well, lets see if we can bring it to Bonnyville.'
“Cold Lake was nice enough to work with us and expand their association so I didn't have to start a new association in Bonnyville,” continued Hodinsky. “We're part of the Lakeland Heat which is based out of Cold Lake. They had five teams this past year in Cold Lake and this year, it was our first year ever and we had seven teams (in Bonnyville).”
Already, during only its first season, Bonnyville had over 100 players register to play for the Heat. Hodinsky said the response from the players and their parents has been phenomenal and the sport will only grow as time goes on.
“We just wanted to bring another sport to town that kids can choose,” said Hodinsky. “It seems to have just taken off. For us to have seven teams in town is just unreal. We have as many kids playing in Bonnyville as they do in Lloydminister… and that's only in our first year…From the feedback I've been getting from parents and kids, they're going to be back next year and they're bringing friends.”
Hodinsky said in a town where hockey tends to be the most dominant sport, lacrosse offers a chance to keep similar skills sharp over the summer months.
“I'd say probably 80 or maybe 90 per cent of the kids have played hockey before…I think its going to be very beneficial for them because they're hand-eye coordination can only get better with this sport.”
Overall, Hodinsky said the kids enjoy learning and getting better at a new sport and he hopes the success of the first year in Bonnyville continues and eventually those nine Lakeland players that played with the Vermillion Roar will have a junior team of their own to play on.
“We're just hoping to have lacrosse grow and foster in this town…(the kids) just love the game. Its something really new to them so they want to get better at it,” explained Hodinsky. “Cold Lake has really started something good a few years ago when they started lacrosse and if we can grow it here…then maybe we'll have our own junior team.”
