The Birth of Lacrosse in North Bay

North Bay's new first family of lacrosse. (L to R) John Quarrie, Paul Maclean, Jamie Washburn, Al McDonald, Moe Bedard, Santo Cocullo, Dave Mendicino and Vito Castiglione. (Bottom row L to R) Evan Peltier, Bo Peltier. Photo by Chris Dawson.

Bo Peltier is looking forward to playing one of his favourite sports in his home town.

Last season he and his brother Evan were commuting to Sudbury to participate in the Sudbury Youth Lacrosse league.

“I’m not going to have to travel and come home at 10:30 at night tired so I can get out of the bed in the morning and get to school,” joked Peltier dressed in Lakers Lacrosse attire supplied by Promo Sports.

The 12-year-old lacrosse player will be playing in Memorial Gardens this spring thanks to the birth of Lakers Lacrosse, a non for profit youth lacrosse league spearheaded by Lakers Hockey president Al McDonald.

“I played lacrosse when I was 15 and 16 in Newfoundland,” admitted Al McDonald at the lacrosse press conference Tuesday afternoon at Memorial Gardens.

“So I was thrilled to find out when we started the Lakers hockey program that a few of the players had played lacrosse, so thanks to them we are able to introduce the sport to North Bay.”

Nipissing Lakers defenceman John Quarrie has a great lacrosse background. The former draft pick of the Toronto Rock will be running a youth skills camp as a way to introduce the sport to the city.

“I love hockey, I can’t wait for it to get started but lacrosse is one of the things I’m better at than hockey,” said the Guelph, Ontario native who was surprised to see that a North Bay youth lacrosse league didn’t exist when he moved here last spring.

The Skill set

Quarrie knows a lot of high profile hockey players who play both sports, like his former teammate in Oshawa and current New York Islanders forward John Tavares.

“With all the stick skills that you are developing you have that hand-eye coordination, like the goal John Tavares scored in the world juniors, where he batted it from behind the net and batted it again in the net and I think he would admit that skill comes from his lacrosse days,” said Quarrie.

“It just gives you all that you really need, you have your head up - you’re passing. So it just gives you the stick skills and the mindset to better your hockey.”

Lacrosse shots

The league will be for any kids 5 and up and it will begin at a house league level with no body contact. . . West Ferris High School teacher and lacrosse fanatic Santa Cocullo was part of the press conference. He hopes the NDA will adopt the field version as a new high school sport in the near future. . .Well known tournament organizer Moe Bedard will be part of the committee to oversee the coaching and administration of the league. . . The league will have lacrosse sticks available for players to use but lacrosse equipment will be sold at Skaters Edge on Fisher Street. . .Those interested in joining the newly formed league or the camp are asked to call 478-6634 or email: [email protected]