Scrimmage on the big stage
Photos by Samantha Pepin. Courtesy Kanesatake Health Center
Players on the Kanehsatake Warriors U11 and U13 teams got a head start on National Lacrosse League stardom over the weekend, with the teams putting on a half-time scrimmage on the floor of the Canadian Tire Centre at the Ottawa Black Bears game on Saturday.
“I wanted to give the youth something they would remember for a while,” said Selena Beauvais, sports and recreation coordinator at the Kanesatake Health Center (KHC), which operates the Kanehsatake Warriors minor lacrosse association.
The KHC sprung for over 100 tickets to the game for Warriors athletes and their families ahead of the minor lacrosse season.
“Parents and the kids loved it. The kids are so pumped for the season to start!” said Beauvais.
The youth got to the game by coach bus, and for the scrimmage, players on the U11 and U13 teams were mixed, making two lines on each side.
“It was an amazing feeling,” said Beauvais. “Being born and raised in Kanesatake, we didn’t get the opportunity to do this kind of stuff when I was younger, so that fact that we can give these opportunities to them, no words can describe it. I’m just so proud of them, and I want to see these kids succeed and hopefully one day make it to the big show!”
Practices have already started for Warriors teams – U5, U7, U9 on Tuesdays and U11 and U13 on Mondays and Wednesdays. The association still hopes to put together a U15 team in time to play this year.
There is not yet a start date set for the season.
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Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
