It almost seemed like an April FoolB次元官网网址檚 joke.
The new management behind the junior B Saanich lacrosse team announced last week that it will replace the iconic Tigers name and logo with Express SaanichB次元官网网址檚 entry in the Pacific Northwest Junior Lacrosse League.
Yes, changing the name is a bold move, but there is good reason for it, said the ExpressB次元官网网址� new coach, Tyson Leies.
As of this winter the Express (formerly Tigers) have becomeunaffiliated with the well known Saanich Tigers Minor Lacrosse Association with which it shared the logo and orange-colour scheme for decades.
B次元官网网址淎mong other things there was times where the Tigers minor association was getting bills for the junior B TigersB次元官网网址� floor time, just because it said B次元官网网址楾igersB次元官网网址� on the billing, so this helps clear up a number of housekeeping issues and makes lives easier for the volunteers who put their time in to do this,B次元官网网址� Leies said.
Volunteers were usually focused on either the junior B team, or the minor association, and not usually both. Same went for costs.
There was some surprise from former players on social media, which shows the legacy of the junior B Tigers. For years, the junior B PNWJLL has offered an alternative route to the WLA. Some played for the Tigers before moving to the junior A Shamrocks, and there have been multiple WLA Shamrocks and National Lacrosse League players who played for the junior B Tigers.
Most recently, Island and provincial championships in the past decade. And thereB次元官网网址檚 no reason that wonB次元官网网址檛 continue, said Leies, a former Mann Cup winner with the Shamrocks, NLL champion with the Calgary Roughnecks and a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
The designs for the Saanich Express are based on the defunct Montreal Express team that entered the NLL in 2001, the same year as the Roughnecks, though Montreal didnB次元官网网址檛 last beyond that season.
B次元官网网址淲e took the old Montreal Express logo, revamped it, changed the colours a little, and added the train to it,B次元官网网址� Leies said.
In the past decade Leies has moved between coaching and managing with the junior A Nanaimo Timbermen, intermediate Timbermen, junior Shamrocks, intermediate Shamrocks and minor lacrosse too. His own son, Connor Leies, was drafted this year by the WLA Maple Ridge Burrards.
Leies credits Chris Jackson for revamping the . Jackson has since started the Victoria Wolves senior B menB次元官网网址檚 team and is now busy running that.
As for the 2018 season, itB次元官网网址檚 been a late start for the Express, who are behind due to late applications for gaming grants and other paper work, said Leies.
The teamB次元官网网址檚 had just two information sessions but Leies says there is more than enough interest to field a team. The first practice, or tryouts, is this Saturday outside at the Braefoot lacrosse box, 5:30 p.m. The Express will move inside to the Pearkes field house in April.
B次元官网网址淲ith the late start, IB次元官网网址檒l take on the coaching myself with the caveat that B次元官网网址榠nterimB次元官网网址� is attached to my name,B次元官网网址� Leies said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e starting from scratch, other teams are already practising and holding training camps but in our two sessions we had a dozen kids, and another eight or nine whoB次元官网网址檝e contacted me. ThereB次元官网网址檚 kids out there, a lot are s that we hope will come to us.B次元官网网址�
Leies will be assisted by several former players such as Cory Conway (Shamrocks), Colin Bell, a current senior B Victoria Wolves player, Sean Walmsley, Kyle Morwick, and former NLL and Shamrocks goalie Nick Patterson (whoB次元官网网址檚 now playing senior B in Nanaimo).
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l all help out when they can and IB次元官网网址檒l find someone to take on the main coaching role for next year,B次元官网网址� Leies said.
The team also has a new website at and on Facebook at .
