INNISFAIL - Lacrosse season has begun.
The Innisfail Phantoms opened the regular season on the road in Red Deer at the end of April and played their first home games of the season at the Innisfail Arena on May 4.
"They have been doing practices every Tuesday and Thursday since March," said Lia Caron, public relations director with Innisfail Minor Lacrosse Association. "They started practices at the school and are now officially in the Arena."
The association plays in the Central Alberta Lacrosse League (CALL).
Caron said several divisions of the association have had tremendous success in recent years and they look forward to continuing that success this season.
"We've got some great coaches this year and some great volunteers," she said. "I think it'll be a great season for all teams.
“It's a great sport. The kids love it and they have fun,” she added, noting divisions in lacrosse include mini-tyke, tyke, novice, peewee, bantam and midget.
The association is also busy preparing for a busy tournament schedule this year.
The first tournament of the season takes place this weekend in Innisfail.
The Terror of the Tykes Festival is an all-day event, taking place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Innisfail Arena on May 12.
"They do a lot of fun stuff (during the tournament),” said Caron, noting other tournaments this season include the Spirit of the Sticks in early July and the peewee playoffs tournament at the end of the regular season in June.
For the first time, the peewee playoff tournament will be hosted by Innisfail.
“Somebody can win the CALL banner (for the peewee division)," said Caron, adding peewee teams from across Central Alberta will participate in the event.
One new feature for Innisfail Minor Lacrosse Association this season is the way teams will qualify for provincials, noted Caron.
"Anybody can go to provincials this year. In (previous years) you had to win the Central Alberta Lacrosse League banner to go to provincials," explained Caron. "This year any division from novice to midget can go.
"It gives everybody an opportunity."
Provincial championships will be held in Calgary in early July.
For more information visit www.innisfaillacrosse.com/
