Change is for the better. At least that is what Burnaby junior A lacrosse is hoping.
The B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League club shook up its intermediate A off-floor staff, naming a new general manager and two new coaches this week.
Incoming junior and intermediate A GM Gary Passmore did not waste any time putting some of the pieces in place, replacing John Wilson as head coach of the junior A team with former Burnaby Cablevision player Mike O'Reilly.
Passmore also named former junior player Matt Miyashita as the new head coach of the intermediate A team.
O'Reilly was a member of the three-time Minto Cup champion Burnaby Cablevision teams that won national junior A lacrosse championship titles from 1977 to '79.
O'Reilly and Passmore came to terms last week it was announced.
Passmore, who was the club's midget scout last season, took over the managerial duties of the junior and intermediate A programs from club president Richard Appels, who will continue in his role as head of both clubs.
"We had to make a change," Appels said.
The five-time Minto Cup champion Lakers missed the playoffs in 2011 and last season, amassing a dismal 8-34 win/loss record in league play.
Passmore enticed Miyashita to come back to Burnaby after the former Burnaby junior A defender was named the intermediate coach of the year in Richmond in 2010.
"We need to fix the performance of the teams from the last couple of years," said Passmore.
"I'm hoping changing some of the positions in the coaching will give us a good commitment from talented young players who are local, and I'm hearing the right things early. I'm fully optimistic."
