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Lacrosse program touring northern communities

Feb 21, 2018 | 11:00 AM

With school out for the week, three athletes with the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association are looking to teach northern kids a new sport.

“We’re just teaching the basics of lacrosse, how to play, the joys of it, the benefits of playing and just the history of it,” program facilitator Kallen Currie said. “The majority of them haven’t even seen a lacrosse stick before or even heard of it.”

While the trio was in Sucker River on Feb. 19, they’re at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre on Feb. 20 and 21. Tomorrow they wrap up the tour with one final stop in Grandmother’s Bay.

The camp is all about teaching kids the fundamentals like how to pick up the ball, pass and shoot, Currie said. 

“By the end of the day, we’re already scrimmaging because they pick it up pretty fast,” he said. “It’s fun showing them my way to play, and it’s a cool feeling to see them pick it up right away too.”

Currie, along with the other athletes who are assisting him, all come from Mistawasis First Nation. Currie has also been playing the sport for 11 years, he said, and currently plays with Saskatchewan SWAT in Saskatoon. The sport has given him many opportunities, Currie said, noting he studies at the University of Saskatchewan but will be attending another university in British Columbia this fall on a lacrosse scholarship.

“For the past two or three years, I’ve been using my winter and spring breaks, and some weekends, to go around to different communities,” he said. “We have done a southern trip in Saskatchewan and a trip to the western reserves. This is our first time up here.”

 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno