Rivals come together to win Provincial Championship
The 2016 season of London U17 field lacrosse was almost the season that wasn’t. But instead, it became one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. With many local field lacrosse players opting to play south of the border instead of in the Ontario Minor Field Lacrosse League (OMFLL), London Minor Lacrosse found itself with low registration numbers and announced the difficult decision to fold the team. But unwilling to accept that his son Patrick would miss out on his final season of minor field lacrosse, Tim Hogan took matters into his own hands. He reached out to the other Zone 7 lacrosse clubs for additional players, and Windsor answered the call. John Rosa, former NLL player and Warlock midget box coach, along with 6 players, came on board and the season was a go!
It was an interesting dynamic, with long-time box lacrosse rivals coming together as field lacrosse teammates. Though somewhat leery at first, the boys gelled quickly following a decisive win in their first game. Said Rosa of the unlikely partnership: “I think that when you are on opposing sides and have a rivalry, it seems like you don’t like each other. But in fact, it is opposite; you really appreciate and respect your opponent because they strive and work hard for the same goals that you have as a team. The synergy of the team took place right away, and the parents, coaching staff, and players became a true team!”
The boys went on to dominate, ending the regular season with an undefeated record and high hopes for the OMFLL Provincial Championships. And they didn’t disappoint! Joining Rosa on the bench for the playoffs was London Blue Devil coach Ron Elijah, who helped this talented group of players maintain their winning streak. With a lot riding on the championship game, namely the Ontario Lacrosse Gold medal that had eluded many of the graduating 2000s, the team came out strong and didn’t look back. The 11-5 win over Oakville 2 was the icing on the cake, but equally satisfying was watching the London and Windsor boys exchange social media contact info before heading home. The rivals had not only become Provincial Champions, but they had become friends as well, a very positive ending to a season that almost wasn’t!
Story submitted by London Minor Lacrosse Association
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