By Nathan Kanter

Battlefords Alpha Lacrosse League opens registration

Jan 31, 2017 | 11:00 AM

The Saskatchewan Rush debuted in the National Lacrosse League just one year ago and so too did a local Battlefords league for youth.

The Battlefords Alpha Lacrosse League is now entering its second season and has an adult division this year, plus a new division for kids aged 5-7.

Registration has just opened and the league begins Mar. 7. There are four total divisions: a youth one for ages 8-12, another one for ages 13-18, an adult division (19-plus), and the aforementioned new division for ages 5-7.

“I think with the popularity of lacrosse lately, it’s nice to have them start younger,” CUplex program manager Candace Dustan said of the new youth division. “And there was a bit of a gap in there. There are not many activities for that age range to do with sports at the Fieldhouse, so it was just a nice fit.”

Dustan said the popularity of the Rush, who won a league championship in their first season, has rubbed off on youth.

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“Definitely it has,” she said. “Many of them hadn’t even heard about it before that.”

The league runs for six weeks, from March 7 to April 11, with all games played on the turf at the NationsWEST Fieldhouse on Tuesday nights. The youngest division (5-7) will have games at 5:45 p.m., followed by the division for ages 8-12 at 6:30 p.m., and then ages 13-18 at 7:15 p.m. The adult division is twice as long, and runs from 8 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

The cost of the league is $40. For those who don’t have equipment, sticks are provided, although they don’t supply helmets or gloves.

On Feb. 12, interested parties can get their feet wet with a clinic run by the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association that costs only $5.

“It’s really so people can get a taste of the sport before they actually decide to register for the league,” Dustan said. “It’s all very affordable so it’s a great way to get out and get active and even try the sport to see if it’s something you might like.”

For more information on the league or the clinic, call 306-445-1790.

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11