Olds' Bryce Sweetman has been drafted by the Rockyview Knights senior lacrosse team.
The Knights play in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League's senior B division and selected Sweetman 24th overall.
Getting drafted means the Knights hold Sweetman's player rights. He still needs to make the team when tryouts come in April.
He's happy to be picked by the Knights, especially because they play close to home, in Airdrie. It's a six-team division, with other clubs located in Beaumont, Calgary, Edmonton and St. Albert.
"I don't really want to drive two hours," Sweetman said with a laugh.
He currently works for Olds Fibre Ltd. as a fibre optic technician, doing installations and connections.
His dream is to play in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
"Ever since I was nine years old, I started playing lacrosse and I went to a Roughnecks game. I was like, you know what? I want to be there. And I've just been working hard since I was nine to get there," he said.
Last season, Sweetman played for the Olds Mavericks junior team, winning the Tier III scoring title, with 46 goals and 25 assists in 14 games. He has also played at the junior A level, with the St. Albert Miners.
His coach with the Mavericks was his father, Andy, who says senior lacrosse will be a new challenge.
"You get that 21-year-old playing against 40-year-old guys. I've seen some guys who are just massive: six-foot-three, 230 pounds of muscle but they can run; they can play the game," Andy said.
His son has his own strengths, however.
"He's fast. He's got skills, he knows what he's doing on the floor," he said.
Andy said NLL teams don't tend to look for players on teams below the Junior A level so playing for the Knights will get him more exposure.
He adds the Knights have been a successful club, winning provincials last year and advancing to the President's Cup, a national competition.
