The midget Innisfail Phantoms are having a great season while the tykes hone their lacrosse skills at fun fairs.
Karry Vockeroth, the head coach of the midget team, said the team made up of players from Innisfail, Didsbury, Olds and Carstairs have had a good start to the season.
“So far this year we've lost only two league games,” Vockeroth said. The team recently won a tournament in St. Albert.
“It's a good group of young guys,” Vockeroth said.
Several of the players have previous experience in the sport.
“I think we're going to stay good and competitive all year,” Vockeroth said, adding he thinks the team will take a good run at winning the Central Alberta Lacrosse League title.
Vockeroth said good goaltending along with other strengths are helping his team.
“We have a good combination of strength and speed,” he said.
Becky Gabrill, the manager of the Phantoms tyke team, said almost every player is new to the sport.
“It's not an easy sport to play,” Gabrill said. “It's going pretty well.”
The tyke team attends fun fairs, which include carnival-style activities, on weekends, which allows the players to participate in other sports during the week.
“We follow the long-term athletic development plan,” Gabrill said. She said that plan is meant to encourage young athletes to play as many sports as possible.
Gabrill said lacrosse has a high fitness component and at the tyke stage they introduce some place and push contact, which she said is “a small amount of hitting” in controlled circumstances.
The tykes have three more fun fairs coming up soon.
