Two Olds junior B lacrosse teams are moving up one tier each.
When play in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League gets going again this April, the Mavericks will move up to tier I from tier II and the Stingers will rise from tier III to tier II.
"It's going to be some exciting and high-level lacrosse happening here in Olds," says Gary Gaudette, who coaches lacrosse along with Andy Sweetman.
"This is unheard of. To have two – let alone two junior teams in a small town, but have two high-level junior teams in a small town. So this is unbelievable."
Gaudette says that's not only good for those teams, it's great for the economy.
He notes as a tier I team, the Mavericks will not only play games in communities across Alberta, but also travel to Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon. In turn, those teams and their fans will travel to Olds for games, staying in local hotels and motels and eating in local restaurants, etc.
Gaudette says Junior B lacrosse is "almost the highest level of lacrosse in Alberta besides junior A, but there are only three teams in Alberta that are junior A."
"Tier I is like the same level as the Olds Grizzlys (in hockey). And tier II would be the same level as the Mountainview Colts would be," he adds.
Gaudette and Sweetman began advocating for the move after the last lacrosse season ended in July.
"This is just awesome news," he says. "We fought for this for a while and finally got it. They finally gave in and said, ‘yes.'"
Gaudette says the change is going to be great for player recruitment and development of minor lacrosse in Olds.
"It's going to retain our players in the minor program. This is going to be what they're looking up to. They'll say ‘hey, this is something I can strive for.'
"So yeah, I think it's huge for the Mountain View County area because that's where we draw from. We draw from Innisfail, we draw from Three Hills, we draw from Sundre, Didsbury and Olds. So all those minor programs – that's where we feed from," he says.
As far as Gaudette knows, lacrosse has been in Olds for about 15 years. The program has had great success in the past few years.
"Three years ago, they were both tier III and they both ended up in the gold medal game for provincials against each other. Then the following year, they went tier II, tier III and we ended up actually winning provincials in tier II that year. Our inaugural year going into tier II we won provincials," he says.
"Then the next year, we were still tier II and tier III and our tier III (team) ended up winning provincials for the first time ever and our tier II (team) went to provincials but we didn't medal.
"But we did go to provincials, and that's rare too, for a team going up a level in a tier – to make provincials back to back. I don't think any team has ever done that," he adds.
Up until now, Gaudette and Sweetman have been sharing the Mavericks' coaching duties and other coaches have been working with the Stingers.
Now, with the Mavericks moving up to tier I, Gaudette is uncertain if he and Sweetman will move up to that level with them.
"It's a bigger step. A lot more responsibility. And we were actually looking for somebody that played high-level lacrosse that can take on that position," Gaudette says.
He says if that happens, then he and Sweetman will probably coach the tier II team. However, if a suitable tier I coach can't be found, then they'll likely take on that role.
"It's going to be some exciting and high-level lacrosse happening here in Olds."
GARY GAUDETTE
COACH
