Senior lacrosse is being revived in Vernon.
And Kelowna.
That乌鸦传媒檚 good news for the Thompson Okanagan Senior Lacrosse League which, in 2018, dwindled to two teams 乌鸦传媒� the Armstrong Shamrocks and Kamloops Rattlers.
The Kelowna Raiders are returning to the senior circuit after taking a leave of absence for 2018. The Raiders reached the Shaw Cup final in 乌鸦传媒�17, losing in three straight games to the Shamrocks.
The Vernon Senior Tigers are rejoining the loop after a six-year hiatus, having last participated in the league in 2012.
乌鸦传媒淚 figured it was now or never,乌鸦传媒� said Brennan Plante, 28, a Vernon native who is a runner with the Shamrocks, of his efforts to revive senior lacrosse in his hometown. 乌鸦传媒淲ith the Kelowna junior team folding (as they did in 2018), there wasn乌鸦传媒檛 much lacrosse left. And if there wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a three- or four-team senior league this year, the league would die and then senior lacrosse in the Okanagan would likely not exist again.
乌鸦传媒淭rying to get four cities to make expansions teams would be next to impossible.乌鸦传媒�
Plante was a rookie with the Tigers in 2012. After the team folded, he joined the Shamrocks.
It was during last year乌鸦传媒檚 shortened season, where the Shamrocks and Rattlers played six games against each other 乌鸦传媒� rather, five games; Kamloops cancelled once due to a shortage of players 乌鸦传媒� and no post-season when Planted began to think about resurrecting the senior Tigers.
乌鸦传媒淓ven a three-team league wasn乌鸦传媒檛 fun, but a four-team league is pretty good,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淲hen Kelowna dropped out at the last second last year, leaving just Armstrong and Kamloops, I thought, 乌鸦传媒極h man, we乌鸦传媒檙e in trouble.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
Plante said he has solid commitments from about 12 players, and solid maybes from six more, to help bring back the Tigers. He乌鸦传媒檚 looking to graduates of the Vernon Junior Tigers program to help solidify the roster.
乌鸦传媒淣ow that we have a four-team league, I think it will persuade some more people to come forward,乌鸦传媒� said Plante. 乌鸦传媒淓ven though we乌鸦传媒檒l be an expansion team, we should have lots of talent from the Junior Tigers, who have been winning championships, coming up. I think the Vernon team will be competitive if all people that say they乌鸦传媒檙e coming out come out.乌鸦传媒�
Vernon and Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 inclusion in the league for 2019 is welcome news to the Shamrocks.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a great thing for the league to be back up to four teams,乌鸦传媒� said longtime Shamrocks goalie/executive Chad Pieper. 乌鸦传媒淭he players will be more into it and the schedule works better with four teams.乌鸦传媒�
The Shamrocks won the five-game season series against Kamloops in 2018. Pieper said they expect to lose Plante and Craig Bigsby to Vernon, but will have a full roster.
There is drop-in lacrosse every Thursday at 8 p.m., free of charge, at Armstrong乌鸦传媒檚 Hassen Arena for all Vernon and Armstrong junior and senior players.
Anybody interested in joining the Senior Tigers can express their interest on the team乌鸦传媒檚 Facebook page, Vernon Sr. Tigers 2019 comeback.
BANNER NIGHT
The Vernon Tigers senior team that won three straight B.C. and Canadian Senior B lacrosse championships from 1976-78 will be honoured with a special banner recognition ceremony.
A banner commemorating the team乌鸦传媒檚 achievements has been raised to the rafters at Kal Tire Place, and on Saturday, Feb. 9, prior to the Vernon Vipers乌鸦传媒� B.C. Hockey League home game against the Penticton Vees, a number of the Tigers will be introduced on the red carpet for a ceremonial puck drop.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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