The Nanaimo Timbermen are always excited to play lacrosse, but they haven’t always shown it.
The city’s Western Lacrosse Association team has had slow starts in game and it’s added up to a slow start to the season.
“I think we’ve got a better team than we did last year and [we’re] not proving it right now,” said Kaleb Toth, the team’s coach. “Hopefully we’re not too far behind and we can get back into winning ways.”
Players are making fundamental mistakes, especially early in games, and they’re falling behind that way. Toth said the team has to work on simple passing and catching in practice, “but you’ve got to keep the morale high; you’ve got to keep the intensity in practice.”
Doug Langlois, T-men alternate captain, said guys need to be mentally ready for first periods.
“We as players need to step up and figure that part out on our own. No one’s going to be out there doing it for us,” he said.
The Timbermen take on the New Westminster Salmonbellies tonight (June 19) on the mainland at Queen's Park Arena and the T-men know what sort of challenge to expect.
"It's always a tough building to play in; they play really well at home," Langlois said. "So if we don't come out and have a good start and come prepared and be ready for that game, we might be down behind the eight-ball again and we can't let that happen. We can't chase teams down by four or five goals every game and expect to come out with wins."
GAME ON … The Timbermen visit the Salmonbellies today and then host the Coquitlam Adanacs on Sunday at 7 p.m. at Frank Crane Arena.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com