First goal for Kanehsatake youth

The Kanesatake Warriors made their first appearance at the Chambly Lacrosse Tournament last weekend, with some athletes scoring their first goals.

Athletes from the Warriors U11, U13, and U15 teams traveled the hour-and-a-half trip from Kanehsatake to the Robert Lebel Sports Center in Chambly on June 7 and 8 to compete against teams across the area.

For U11 player Sydney Reynolds, the tournament marked a major milestone as she scored her first goal in her lacrosse career.

“I’ve been telling my girls all season, ‘You’re going to get a goal, I feel it, I know you’re going to score today,’” said Kanesatake Health Center (KHC) sports co-coordinator Selena Kaniehtiiostha Beauvais.

“You could see they had so much more confidence on the court. They wanted to score, and so when they got their goals, they were so happy,” said Beauvais. “They came running to me and I was so excited for them, that was definitely the best moment of the weekend.”

Reynolds’ mother, Jennifer Trentin, said her daughter first tried lacrosse in 2023 but struggled to find a foothold in the sport. After taking a season away, Reynolds returned in 2025 with a renewed commitment.

“She improved so much and became so motivated in playing; her coaches were really impressed,” said Trentin.

“To see the continuation of her efforts and then watch her score her first goal this weekend was incredible. I was so proud and happy for her,” said Trentin.

“It was really thrilling,” said Reynolds. “When you get the ball and start running straight to the net, you have no thoughts except, ‘You’ve got to get this.’ Then when it goes in, you celebrate with your teammates.”

For Reynolds, playing a strong defense, picking up the loose balls, and playing as a team, are her main strengths on the court.

Reynolds also credits her coaches and teammates for helping her reach this goal.

Beyond the games themselves, Beauvais said that the tournament itself left an impression on the athletes, as the host arena created a professional environment for the youth.

“It was really well organized,” said Beauvais. “They had areas set up with the players’ names and numbers, like they do in the NHL. Water bottles with their numbers on them. We walked in and had no words.”

Beauvais joked that the next tournament, which will be hosted by the Kanesatake Warriors, will have to step up their hosting game, as the Chambly organizers provided snacks and arranged photos to be taken as well.

“It was a really good tournament that they hosted,” said Beauvais.

The tournament was a wild ride on the court, with the Warriors U11 losing against the Mustangs 3-2, then a strong comeback against the West Island Lacrosse Association (WILA) 8-0, and then a 3-0 loss against Chambly the next day.

Despite the losses, Beauvais praised the effort shown by the young players over the weekend.

“They played amazing,” said Beauvais. “They worked hard the entire tournament and showed how much they’ve improved.”

Trentin said that watching her daughter develop as an athlete was what was rewarding. As in addition to lacrosse, Reynolds participates in gymnastics and volleyball, and recently competed in the the First Nations Education Council (FNEC) Inter-School Games.

“Just to see her evolution as an athlete is fantastic,” said Trentin. “Sports are such a big part of her life now, and I’m grateful that these opportunities exist for our youth.”

Reynolds said that with her first goal under her belt, she feels much more confident on the court, and is excited for the next tournament to continue refining her skills.

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Fern Marmont, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter