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Nanaimo U-19 field lacrosse players getting noticed by US colleges

Feb 1, 2017 | 8:04 AM

PALM SPRINGS — Players from the Nanaimo Raiders U-19 Women’s field lacrosse team had an opportunity to impress college recruiters at a recent tournament in California.
 
The Sandstorm Tournament in Palm Springs Jan 16-18 featured nine girls from the Raiders.
 
It’s an event that has grown to 360 teams with over 5400 players.
 
Sarah Ferguson,15, played for Team BC in the sophomore division.
 
Her team went 4-1 and she scored four goals and six assists along the way.
 
Eight other girls aged 16-18 played for the Intrepid-All Stars based out of Pittsburgh.
 
The Intrepid team finished 2-3 and all the Nanaimo players contributed offensively.
 
Celine Theberge 1g 3a
Ainslie Allan 2g
Taylor Olsen 2a
Brianna Cooper 1g 2a
Mackinna Bourque 1g 2a
Jazmine Shafi 7a
Nicole Briggs 7a
Sophie Scobie 5g 11a
 
Nanaimo Raiders Coach Farren Ferguson says events like the Sandstorm tournament give young athletes a chance to speak with US college recruiters.
 
“There are three graduating girls that are in grade 12. They’ve all spoken to different universities down there and they’re in talks as to whether that’s going to be a good fit or not,” said Ferguson. “The other girls that are a year or two younger, their journey is just begining now with the college situation.  But they were all contacted by different schools.”
 
Nanaimo had 13 girls sign up to play U-19 field lacrosse this season but the league in the lower mainland folded, and a planned team for Victoria fell through.
 
Ferguson says he wants to see local athletes get an opportunity to develop their lacrosse skills.
 
“Our goal is to make sure that there is a place for them to practice and get ready.  We’re going to take the girls down to the United States and play in their top level tournaments and make sure our athletes are showcased,” said Ferguson.
 
A meeting is being planed in the next couple of weeks to debrief families on the costs of practices and tournaments for the upcoming year.
 
Ferguson says families know they will have to brace for some travel costs and the players will have get to work on the fundraising side.
 
“We have field costs and practice time to pay for, normal stuff that other sports feed into, except we have a longer trip to make to play our games and to compete,” said Ferguson.
 
The plan is to have the U-19 girls play in tournaments in the western US with larger events on the radar in Colorado, San Diego, and Oregon.
 
Those tournaments will be scouted by western universities which is a good potential fit for the Raiders players as they look towards the future.

 

dan.marshall@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @danmarshall77