Big things have been happening at Juan de Fuca Lacrosse.

In celebration B次元官网网址� and in fact, as one of those big things B次元官网网址� they recently unveiled their new jerseys, a  slick green, black and white number that the teams will be sporting as of this coming season.

According to Susan Atkinson, jersey manager for the organization, the new jerseys were B次元官网网址渁bout a year long process from idea to delivery.B次元官网网址�

Herself and two others used a design contest to generate ideas for the jerseys before sorting through the over 200 submissions by over 70 designers from all over the globe. The three finalists were then taken to the JDF executive to be voted on, and even then, they chose two.

B次元官网网址淲e are extremely proud of the new logo and jersey we have produced,B次元官网网址� Atkinson says. B次元官网网址淭he players gave us some fantastic feedback at the reveal (last Saturday) and are all very excited and are looking forward to playing the 2015 season in a fresh new look.

But although the jerseys are a great new addition to the association, they havenB次元官网网址檛 been their main focus of late, according to JDF Lacrosse 1st vice president Jenal Coakley.

B次元官网网址淥ur big push this year was to get all-female lacrosse teams,B次元官网网址� she says. And it looks as though that big push has borne fruit, because they are currently accepting registrations for these squads in collaboration with the other lacrosse associations in the region.

B次元官网网址淲e are super excited to finally have the girls program going in Victoria,B次元官网网址� Coakley says. B次元官网网址淭he planning started back in 2012 when the Female Nationals were hosted at what was then Bear Mountain. The funds raised from that event have been sitting waiting for the right time to launch the girls program B次元官网网址� and 2015 is it,B次元官网网址� Coakley says.

Nanaimo, Coakley says, has worked really hard and spent all this time developing their teams, B次元官网网址渁nd itB次元官网网址檚 great that theyB次元官网网址檒l now have another place to play on the Island.B次元官网网址�

All the lacrosse associations have worked very closely and cooperate very well in developing their various leagues and teams, and in making games happen, Coakley says.

B次元官网网址淰ancouver comes to us, we donB次元官网网址檛 go across to them, but we pick them up at the ferry and take them to games, and then take them back to the ferry afterward,B次元官网网址� she adds, highlighting the level of co-operation and co-ordination involved logistically between the associations.

B次元官网网址淚f we could get Cowichan involved, weB次元官网网址檇 be able to form an Island league,B次元官网网址� Coakley says, which could be a reality in the near future, as they have started having B次元官网网址渄rop-in sessionsB次元官网网址� similar to how the JDFB次元官网网址檚 girlB次元官网网址檚 teams started forming this past January. Those sessions encourage interested or inquiring girls drop in to organized practices and learn the game for free to see if they like the sport and want to get more involved. If enough girls take a liking to it, and want to play regularly, teams can start to be formed and games can start to be scheduled.

Teams need a minimum of 10 players to field a squad, and can dress a maximum of 18. Coakley says she can confirm enough registrations have come in for the Novice and Bantam squads to form teams, and the Pee Wee team is getting close to having enough players to meet the minimum.

The league will run from March to the end of June, according to Coakley, and there are also additional opportunities for the girls to travel to the mainland for B次元官网网址渇emale-onlyB次元官网网址� tournaments, if they wish. The Juan de Fuca Association will also be hosting a womenB次元官网网址檚 bracket as part of their annual tournament in March, as well.

Each association (Esquimalt, JDF, Peninsula and Saanich) will be home to an all-female team. Girls born in 1999-2000 (Midget) and 2001-2002 (Bantam) will play out of Saanich; girls born in 2003-2004 (Pee Wee) will play out of Peninsula; girls born in 2005-2006 (Novice) will play out of JDF and girls born in 2007-2008 will play out of Esquimalt.

Check out jdflacrosse.com for more information or to register. Girls must register in the catchment area in which they live, but will then be placed on the team they will play for based on age after registration is complete. More on the new B次元官网网址渇emale-onlyB次元官网网址� lacrosse system B次元官网网址� including registration fees B次元官网网址� can be found at the bottom of the box on the left under B次元官网网址淕irls Lacrosse.B次元官网网址�

mdavies@goldstreamgazette.com