The Williams Lake Bighorns peewee, tyke and novice teams got their first taste of home-floor action of the season this weekend hosting teams from throughout the region.
The Bighorns — who are running tykes, novice, peewee and bantam teams this season — started out well Saturday in the peewee division at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, blanking Vanderhoof 6-0 and defeating Mackenzie in dominating fashion, 15-1.
Sunday, the association’s novice and tyke teams were in action, with the novice squad also handily defeating Mackenzie Sunday morning.
“We started around the beginning of April inside the CMRC, but did a couple of practices in gyms in March,” said Bighorns vice-president Jamie Beaulne, noting lakecity teams are looking good in just the Bighorns’ second week of games.
“I think, all in all, we’ve got some very strong teams this year,” he said.
The Peewee Bighorns will be competing in the Great White North Lacrosse League with teams from Prince George, Quesnel, Vanderhoof and Mackenzie.
“We’ve got a tournament for them coming up in Salmon Arm and later in Calgary, and our bantams will be going to that one, too,” Bealune said.
The Salmon Arm tournament takes place May 24, with the Calgary tournament set to wrap up the season on June 28.
Also exciting this year, Beaulne said, is the Bighorns will get a chance to host the zone playdowns the week of June 22-23.
READ MORE: Bighorns get first taste of league play for season
“We’ve got 70 kids registered, which makes us the second-largest association next to Prince George,” Beaulne said.
“I thin we’ll do pretty well in that league, but we’ll be playing up a level in Salmon Arm and that will be a challenge playing against those teams that tier up a bit.”
Chris Ford, the president of the Bighorns Lacrosse Association, said he wanted to thank all the coaches and volunteers who have stepped up and helped out during the weekend.
“It’s such a big, group effort to make this all come together,” he said.
“I’ve been blown away with the support and help we’ve been getting this year.”
He added he was proud of the association’s novice-aged players who, for many, are taking part in their first year of lacrosse.
“We’ve got 12 new coaches this year who all took the coaching clinic and multiple coaches helping out with peewees and bantams,” he said.
“We’re really trying to build our association — we’re putting a big focus on our younger kids because they are our future. They’re the ones who will build our association.”
Ford noted he was having a blast taking in all the local games during the weekend.
“I never played lacrosse, but my son started a few years ago and I absolutely fell in love with the sport,” he said. “It’s just such a great game and teaches so many skills that are transferable to other sports.”
The Bighorns will be back in Williams Lake for home games the weekend of June 1-2 when the Peewee and Bantam Bighorns host Prince George.
