Lacrosse is a short season, said Madison Krassman, and as soon as it ends, she can’t wait for it to start again.
Well, for her and for three of her teammates, lacrosse season will last a lot longer this year – all the way till August, and the Canadian championships.
Krassman, Dallyce Gillespie, Sam Hartmann and Hannah Boas of the Nanaimo Timbermen junior women’s team and Shaelynn Ross of the midget girls’ team made history this spring as the first-ever local females to make Team B.C.
The players stood out at a three-day identification camp chock full of talented young women.
“It was amazing to play with that level of skill,” said Hartmann. “No balls were dropped, the pace was fast and it was awesome.”
She wanted to go out with a bang in her last year, and gets to do just that. Gillespie tried out four times before breaking through; Boas said she’s grateful to be getting this opportunity; Krassman called it “unreal” to be selected.
“I think Dallyce was more excited than I was that I made the team,” Krassman said. “She jumped up and screamed and hugged me and I was trying not to cry.”
It’s special for the Timbermen women that so many of them achieved this together.
“It makes a big difference, because you get to take some of your best friends with you to the biggest tournament in Canada. It’s nice to have that support behind you,” said Krassman.
They’re getting to know some of their B.C. teammates via social media, and have upcoming practices on the mainland.
The players will be plenty sharp considering that the B.C. championships are in two weeks’ time and the T-women shape up as contenders. Whatever happens at provincials, some of the young ladies know they get to play on, though they don’t know exactly what to expect at nationals in Whitby, Ont. in August.
“It’s going to be tough,” said Gillespie. “I’ve never played that calibre. It’s going to be fast and skill-filled.”
Hartmann said she’s heard ‘lacrosse week’ in Ontario gets pretty crazy.
“It’s going to be a lot of excitement and high energy,” she said. “So we’ll go off adrenalin from there.”
Of course Team B.C. has a chance to do well, but really, nationals will be whatever the players make of it.
“It’s a good opportunity…” Boas said. “I can tell I’m going to learn a lot. I already have… You have to be open to learn and you have to take encouragement and you share encouragement and just take it in strides.”
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