Stacey Nationals-bound with Team Ontario

For the first time ever, a laxer from Kahnawake will play on a Team Ontario women’s box lacrosse team.

That laxer is Ryan Stacey, who made the U17 team that will look to win gold at the Lacrosse Canada Minor Box Nationals in Halifax, Nova Scotia from August 11-15.

“It’s really cool that I am the first girl from Kahnawake to make Team Ontario, that is a big stepping stone,” said Stacey.

Going into the tryouts, she said she felt nervous because of the quality of the other players who would be trying to make the team.

Once the drills began, her confidence grew as she showed she belonged.

“I know I’m capable of doing anything, and once it started, I got into my groove and I was able to perform my best,” said Stacey.

“I told myself I was going to do it, and I did it.”

Zach Tomkinson, head coach for the U17 women’s team, said he could see immediately that Stacey would be a strong member of the group.

“She was at the top of the list pretty much from the get-go,” said Tomkinson.

Her stickwork, her skill on and off the ball, her physicality, her lacrosse IQ, and her shot were all praised by Tomkinson.

“You can tell that her IQ is very high. She was able to take advantage of that size and just be able to give opportunities to herself and the players that she had around her during the drills, as well as the scrimmage that we did,” said Tomkinson.

The drills focused on matching players against each other - one on one, two on one, three on two, and the scrimmage.

Tomkinson said Stacey would be able to contribute a lot to the team no matter what position or situation she ended up playing.

“If we need to have a good stop on defence, or she needs to set a nice pick and roll, or we’ve got a set play off a water break, or a timeout, or a goal, or a dead ball, she’s going to be a big part of that,” said Tomkinson.

“I can see her stepping up as a leader and really taking the reins and just doing what we need her to do in whatever capacity that may be.”

They are also looking at having her on the power play.

“It gives us another option for that shot that she has, which is an absolute rocket. You just don’t see some of those shots like that. Some of the U17 boys don’t shoot that hard,” said Tomkinson.

Even though she has not played with the other members of Team Ontario before the tryout and practices, Stacey said they have already started to bond.

This isn’t her first foray playing with these kinds of teams, having played with regional or provincial teams in both hockey and lacrosse.

“I’m used to not knowing anybody and then building relationships as we go on in the tournament,” said Stacey.

“I’m able to build relationships with people quickly. I can make anybody talk, so with me, it’s not that hard building relationships and having a strong connection with people.”

Ontario’s U17 women’s box team will be one of the contenders for gold at Nationals, something that is exciting for Stacey, who said she has not had that kind of opportunity before.

“I’m very confident that our team is going do very well in the tournament,” said Stacey.

She is also looking forward to being in that kind of a high-octane environment for the week they will be in Halifax.

“When I see people come out fired up, I feel like it fires me up more, because I want to be better than they’re going to be,” said Stacey.

“I like the competition and everybody wanting to win.”

She has also liked the fact that in Kahnawake, younger players have come up to her to talk about lacrosse after being chosen for the team.

“I love it when like little kids come up to me and they’re talking about lacrosse, because it’s what I want to do in the future and it’s what they want to do in the future, so we have things in common,” said Stacey.

“I find it really cool because I also have people I look up to, and I feel like it really gives me confidence and makes me want to pursue it even more.”

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