A new team is joining the array of sporting opportunities in southern Manitoba. The Southman Saints Lacrosse Club, based out of the Ste. Agathe Arena, is looking for players of what’s often called “the fastest game on two feet.”
Matthew Girardin is the driving force behind the creation of the Saints. He and his wife moved to St. Adolphe six years ago and he made himself a goal of bringing lacrosse to the neighbouring communities.
“Lacrosse has been a major part of my entire life,” says Girardin, “and I want to share the fun, excitement, and history of Canada’s national summer sport with as many people as possible.”
The St. Adolphe Arena will be hosting Come Try Lacrosse events on February 26 and March 4 for those who are interested in checking out the game.
The Southman Saints are part of a league with teams that play in Winnipeg (East St. Paul, The Maples, Allard, Fort Richmond, and Notre Dame) as well as in Stonewall and Garson.
Saints Lacrosse is co-ed and available to kids as young as five years old. The season runs from the beginning of April until the end of June, with a mid-April start for the U7 and U9 teams.
The U7 program will run on Fridays at 6:00 p.m. and consist of a half-hour skills session and a half-hour three-on-three half-court game. U7 is an introductory program that focuses on basic skill development and having fun.
Practices for the U9 age group will be held on Mondays at 6:00 p.m. with a similar routine to U7, as well as six scheduled games on Wednesdays or weekends throughout the ten-week season. These games will not be scored and the coaches will serve as officials.
U11 will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m., with some weekend play. The U11 age group is the first division that allows for modified contact and full-court five-on-five play plus a goalie.
From this age up, teams will run a full league schedule, including playoffs, and play will include scorekeeping and assigned officials.
The U13 age group will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00, 7:00, or 8:00 p.m. This division and up will follow standard Canadian lacrosse rules that allow contact on the ball carrier and contact on offensive non-ball carriers within a 24-foot semi-circle in front of the goal.
With U15 and U17, full contact is allowed on the ball carrier and cross-checking is permitted on non-ball carriers in the offensive zone. Practices will be held on various days during the week, depending on the coaches’ availability and arena schedules. Games will generally run on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Girardin says that the benefits of playing lacrosse are myriad.
“Lacrosse will provide your child with great cardiovascular exercise and is an excellent cross training sport for hockey,” he says. “It’s an excellent balance of hand-eye coordination and athletic endurance. Given that lacrosse is a team sport, your child will learn the value of working together to achieve success. Lifelong friendships are part of the game.”
For those families who are concerned about overlap with another sport, Girardin acknowledges that there may be some conflicts. Spring hockey and lacrosse may both be possible at the same time depending on the individual team schedules, but baseball and lacrosse generally have too much direct overlap.
As with most youth sports, the success of Saints lacrosse will rely on getting enough volunteer coaches.
“Absolutely no lacrosse knowledge is necessary to be a coach,” Girardin says. “Coaching experience in other sports would be extremely helpful but is not mandatory. Saints lacrosse is a volunteer-based organization made up of parents just like you, so help is always needed and appreciated.”
Besides coaches, the Saints will also need volunteer managers, bench helpers, assistant coaches, scorekeepers, timekeepers, and other help during tournaments.
“I would love to see the Saints represented in all age divisions for this upcoming season,” says Girardin. “If this goal can be achieved and the players’ experiences are positive, I intend on continuing to build the Saints organization into a sustainable Lacrosse club for decades to come.”
