It’s simple what Team BC coach Tyson Leies wants to see from the 68 players vying for 20 roster spots on the 2011 Team BC Midget lacrosse squad, energy and excitement on and off the floor.
Penticton is hosting the final Team BC Midget camp at Memorial Arena this weekend. Leies said some players take for granted these opportunities.
“Those that think they will make the team or were on the team in years past sometimes do not put in the same energy or put in the same work ethic as those who are experiencing this main camp for the first time,” said Leies. “I want all participants to come to Penticton for the weekend knowing that the entire 2011 Team BC Midget roster is “open.”
And Dan Chetner believes the the margin for error will be small.
Chetner, a coach with the Penticton Heat, will be acting as the coach for Team Interior. When asked, Chetner said that as athletes, performing under intense pressure is a skill players need to develop.
“They have played a lot of lacrosse and have been in a lot of big games over their careers,” said Chetner. “Hopefully they will be able to show when it comes to the Team BC camp that they are prepared for those things and are able to play relaxed and within themselves.”
Once chosen, the team will compete for the National Championship held in Whitby, Ont. in August. Jean-Luc Chetner, Josh Greenwood, Kaid MacLeod and Brad Stell of the Heat earned spots on Team Interior in April and will compete against Team Island, Team Lower Mainland and Team Fraser Valley for the BC Cup.
“I am not familiar with them at all. In my opinion, this is a good thing,” said Leies. “I will be witness to their play with no preconceptions whatsoever. I have an expectation of all players and they have been advised of these expectations.”
Chetner said their inclusion to the camp shows that they are able to compete with kids who have grown up playing in lacrosse hot beds.
“Our kids from the Interior need to impress coaches who may not have noticed them as players before,” said Chetner.
Round-robin tournament play begins on Friday at 5 p.m. with the locals playing at 6:30 p.m. Action continues with the Pentictonites playing Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The top 30 players chosen at the camp will play in one final game Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The team will be decided following that game.
Leies intends to assemble a group that will be a fast-paced transitional style lacrosse team. Everyone will know the system from the back-end to the front-end and specialty teams.
In hosting the camp, Chetner sees it as an opportunity to showcase the sport of lacrosse in Penticton.
“This camp is going to be played at a high level, very entertaining and impressive for people not familiar with the sport and for those who are,” he added. “These are highly skilled 16-year-old players. We hope it helps our sport to expose itself in our community.”