The lacrosse season starts for the Stettler Minor Lacrosse Association next weekend, April 10-12, with the Eye Opener weekend in Red Deer.
The association is in the final stages of finalizing its schedule for the season, but will be keeping the ice-free Stettler arena rinks busy until the end of June.
The association is fielding six teams this year, one in each age division, meaning the sport is healthy and continuing to grow in the area, Kim Smyth, past-president of the association, noted.
With a team in every division, it means children who get started in lacrosse are keeping with the sport as they grow up.
Hopes that Stettler could soon field a junior-level lacrosse team fell through after tentative investigation at the end of last season, Smyth said.
“We just don't have the numbers yet,” she said. With so many nearby junior teams for Stettler players to play with, it may be a while before the community has enough players, enough qualified coaches and referees, and the money necessary to bring a junior team to the community – though it still remains a hope of the association.
The league, which plays box lacrosse (indoor rink lacrosse versus outdoors on a field), will also hold its mini-tyke and tyke festival during the June 20 weekend.
“It's a hilarious and fun weekend,” Smyth said. “They're just so small, they're adorable.”
Community support for the team has always been solid, but Smyth noted that she'd love to see more people come out to cheer the teams on during their home games, and hopes posting the schedule when it's available will see more curious people come out to watch the sport.
For those who are interested in playing but didn't register, though, it's too late – the local teams are full up.