The junior A Nanaimo Timbermen will start finding out how their rebuild is working.
The city’s B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League club begins its regular season this Sunday (April 26) on the road against the Coquitlam Adanacs.
The team has a new coach this year, Kyle Couling, and the core will be a little different after the graduation of some key players.
“We are improving every effort, so that’s good,” said Couling.
Up front, Brett Hawrys and Dane Sorensen will be back, but both are still away at college. In the meantime, the T-men will look to Alec Molander, Connor Leies and others to be offensive contributors. Tyson Leies, former coach of the junior A T-men, is an assistant this season.
“[Our players] are really getting his pick-and-roll style,” Couling said. “They’re getting pretty smooth.”
Defensively, the T-men will play a pressure game with back-side help.
“We’ve got a few big bodies back there that can punish and we definitely want to keep teams to the perimeter, but I think more, we’re going to be looking for turnovers and pressure and transition,” Couling said.
New goalie Jarryd Jensen, from Newmarket, Ont., is expected to be “one of the best stoppers in the league,” the coach said.
GAME ON … The team’s home opener is May 2 versus the Delta Islanders at 4:30 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com