Blast from the Past
Lacrosse is steeped in history
By Roy Mabbett
Wayne Gretzky wrote in his March 2000 National Post column: "The high point of the year in sport must be the first weeks of spring. I used to love this time of year. It was when I put my hockey equipment away... I could hardly wait to get my lacrosse stick out. All good hockey players seemed to play lacrosse in those days, throwing balls against the walls and working on our moves. We learned something from lacrosse to carry over to hockey--things athletes can only learn by mixing up games they play."
"The Great One," Joe Sakic, Brendan Shanahan, John Taveres, Steven Stamkos and many others starred in both sports.
Powell Rivers long history of lacrosse started with the formation of the Powell River Lacrosse Association in 1926. This coincided with the movement of the multi sports fields from the present day parking lot behind the Rodmay Hotel to the Riverside Oval. The move necessitated by the construction of bunkhouses for the Powell River Company was part of their preplanned community, which provided housing, sports, cultural, entertainment, shopping and schooling within easy access to the mill. Riverside Oval, located on a field bordered by the river, ocean, and present day Arbutus Avenue and Walnut Street accommodated soccer, baseball and softball fields as well as a lacrosse box. Crews from foreign ships, arriving to take on paper products from the mill, put on exhibitions of sports from their native countries including field lacrosse, rugby and cricket. The Powell River Midget team won the provincial title in October of 1938 after a few years of trying. Lacrosse shut down for World War II but continued to be enjoyed after the war.
In the summer of 1957 a group, which included Bill Craigen, Chuck Pierce and Lloyd Maedel, who had played lacrosse in other cities and towns, tried to get some of the local hockey players from the three team commercial league to give lacrosse a try. The results were mixed. The three-year-old Willingdon Civic Arena was terribly hot in June and, as hockey playing Vic Lupul said, "After a couple of practices I could catch but throwing was a different matter and doing either while running..." Added Gene Strueby, who also tried lacrosse, "The lacrosse players razzed us hockey guys pretty good." The attempt at lacrosse failed after the one year.
In the spring of 1970 Gordon Crawford and Stan Hollingshead started up minor lacrosse. The initial season saw games played adjacent to the old tennis courts near present day Brooks Secondary School. The following season Hollingshead, head forester for MacMillan Bloedel, worked out a deal that saw a new outdoor lacrosse box built at Grief Point Elementary School at a cost to the town of Powell River of $6,500. In exchange, Powell River received the lands on which the present day Larry Guthro (Manson) Park is located. The popularity of the game took off after the move to the new box. Struebys sons Darren and Greg, Vics son Gary Lupul, Danny Lucas, Don Simonetta and others played from Peewee on up through the ranks. Gene Strueby said, "The boys loved the game and challenged for Island championships. The Nanaimo teams were always a bit too good having had better competition."
Gordon Crawford, president of the association, stated, "We had three strong divisions throughout the early 70s. It helped kids stay active, taught them how to win and lose, and gave them some life lessons." Crawford stepped down as president after the 1975 season and the association folded after the 1978 season due to lack of volunteers. Trophies, donated by Crawford, from this era are still presented to league champions.
In 2001 Mark and Judy Scott, Vince Metcalf and recreation complex director Mike Elvy put their heads together and came up with an idea for drop-in lacrosse. For two years Saturday afternoon games were played with plastic sticks, tennis and/or soft plastic balls, helmets and gloves.
The 2003 and 2004 seasons saw games played Monday through Thursday in the early evening. Powell River Minor Lacrosse Association (PRMLA) was run independently of BC Lacrosse Association, as the registration numbers were low. Mark Scott, head coach of PRMLA, remembers the start up days. "Our first season we had 56 kids from six to17 playing in the same league. It ran smoothly as the coaches tried to match size against size but as changes are often made as the play is happening, similar to hockey, mismatches did happen. To watch a 60-pound kid try to push a 200-pounder away from the scoring areas or check the ball out of her or his opponents stick was comical, yet they never gave up and the older, bigger players respected them for it. Some of those smaller players now are among the best we have."
After incorporation in 2005 registration numbers continued to grow, peaking at 168 players for the 2008 season. Lacrosse, the fastest growing team game worldwide, has divisions from Mini-Tyke/Tyke through to Midget/Intermediate. A dedicated group of parents keep things ticking but as their kids graduate from the game new people need to step forward. Volunteers are the life-blood of all sports and without them they could not exist.
Powell River Minor Lacrosse Association is now registering boys and girls born between 1992 and 2005. The next registration session is April 10, 10 am-2 pm at the Complex. Information is available at www.powellriverlacrosse.com.
All photo courtesy of Powell River Historical Museum
