ItB次元官网网址檚 been a long three years since the Royal Bay Secondary School junior girls lacrosse squad has been able to travel to tournaments, but earlier this month they did just that and came home with even more to celebrate than expected.
On May 6 and 7, the Royal Bay Girls Lacrosse Academy, as well as their male counterparts, participated in the Sisters Annual Lacrosse Invitational in Sisters, Ore. The girls walked away as the overall tournament champions, defeating Summit 10-2.
B次元官网网址淚t was pretty amazing, none of us really expected it. But once we started winning games, we all got really pumped up and it was a pretty cool experience being together for it,B次元官网网址� said Alyssa Hawes, a Grade 12 student. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all over the moon.B次元官网网址�
Hawes said both the trip itself and the victory on top of it served to reignite the passion for the sport among the team, something she admitted has been let to dim given the lack of events the program has been able to compete in.
The pandemic meant all competition, except inter-squad matches, was put on hold and even this year it was a challenge to get the school into events, with two others falling through before the Oregon tournament was booked. Part of the struggle is how early the season starts on Vancouver Island compared to the rest of North America.
She said the tournament has been a huge win for the team and the program as a whole as it has served to really put the specialized program on the map outside the West Shore lacrosse community. The boysB次元官网网址� squad came in second at the tournament, also making it to the final.
B次元官网网址淚 think in the future, it will open the door for more players to see us as a serious academy. We are the only one on the Island really, so I think it will draw more people in,B次元官网网址� said Hawes. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 good for recruiting too because we have not really been able to play games, so there have not really been opportunities to prove your skill.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: Royal Bay lacrosse alumni come home for the holidays
For Hawes, that opportunity to perform in front of college scouts wonB次元官网网址檛 have much of an impact on her lacrosse career, as her post-secondary plans donB次元官网网址檛 currently include continuing with the sport, but it does mark an incredible send-off for her and has inspired her to look at ways to return to the academy later in life, possibly as a coach.
For current coach Ray Barkwill, the teamB次元官网网址檚 performance at the tournament was a success not just in terms of the score sheet, but in terms of the grit, determination and camaraderie displayed by the players.
B次元官网网址淲e went and said we would measure success on the field by having a positive attitude and our effort being as maximal as possible,B次元官网网址� said Barkwill. B次元官网网址淥ur expectations were to go out and improve each game and we did. Our best game was in the final, and before that, it was the semi-final.B次元官网网址�
Despite expectations not being focused on victory, he said it came as no surprise the girls were victorious. That doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean victory came without effort, he noted.
At the start of the final, the team was playing very aggressively and reactionary, rather than the cool, calm and clinical lacrosse they focus on, as the excitement took over. But Barkwill said that quickly passed and the squad returned to their style of play, and the results spoke for themselves.
READ MORE: Royal Bay Secondary athletes make Colwood proud at provincial track meet
justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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