If challenge is what the Burnaby Lakers want, the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League will offer that in spades this year.
With a number of programs looking to build onto or bounce back from last year’s result, Burnaby’s plan is not to get stuck in the middle.
First-year head coach Jason Dallavalle is coming in with an open mind, but with a positive spin; having spent the past three seasons working alongside since-retired head coach Brad Turner, he understands just what the Lakers face.
After last year’s 3-18 record, improvement seems like a sure thing.
“There’s a lot of competition in camp (for roles), and I’m very happy with the competition we’ve had,” said Dallavalle. “There have been quite a few surprises, all in a good way.”
Among the surprises have been how a couple of intermediate-aged players have made it tough on the coach, who doesn’t want to over-tax a player for a role in the more physical junior A loop.
Like last year’s intermediate-aged addition, Patrick Shoemay, Jeremy Liew has a grasp on the physical side of the sport, Dallavalle said.
“(Liew) is a well-rounded player and plays a physical style, so we feel he can make the jump,” said the coach.
Shoemay had similar attributes that made him a successful aged-up player. At six-foot-four, the Surrey native will be counted on to bring a veteran-like presence to the lineup, once he returns from Rochester Institute of Technology. Along with Brad Rowbotham, the back-end leadership is rock solid.
The main focus as the club kicks off the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League on Sunday, hosting Victoria (5 p.m. at Bill Copeland Sports Centre) will be on defence and transition, said Dallavalle.
“We’re going to focus a lot on transition part, and more structure on the back end,” he said. “In previous years we planned to do it, but we didn’t have the horses. This year we do.”
In net, Graham Husick is ready to continue setting a tone in frustrating the opposition. His .784 save percentage last season was solid, considering he faced a league-high 827 shots over the year.
Joining him will be junior freshman Elijah Uema-Martin, who led Coquitlam’s intermediate A’s to a first-place finish.
Up front, the Lakers have a handful of returnees who can spoil the opposition’s party. Jordan Gabriele, Mason Pomeroy and Damon Prince will supply the mustard.
“Our expectations are to make the playoffs,” said Dallavalle. “We haven’t had this much internal competition for spots in a while, and I think the buzz is out there.
“We’ll be extremely young but we’ve got key veterans sprinked through out.”
Burnaby’s primary game night is Monday, 8 p.m. at the Copeland.
