Volunteering and Lacrosse

 We are pretty involved in Lacrosse. Both kids travel with their team. Daddy Volunteers as a coach for Lacrosse, I am the photographer, and Zoe shakes the coin tin and goes around to collect change for their end-of-season Party. We all have volunteered at a big game and plan on doing it again. It was fun!

 Austyn was so proud of himself this weekend. He got his first goal of the season. He was made Player of the Game and was given this hat to wear until the next game. He also was made Assistant Captain! He was SO HAPPY!

Hockey's Partner

Yes, Lacrosse can get rough. The kids eventually learn to check each other. Some days, I have to admit, I am a little mixed on what I think about it, but my kids enjoy it and it's a fun game to watch. I think I enjoy watching lacrosse more than hockey.  

 

 Even the little tiny kids, like my youngest, get to play it. Sometimes they are really amazingly good and seem to know what they are doing and yet, they still have those cute little kid moments like the one above, where Zoe decided to sit on the ball right when everyone was fighting to get it.

(as an aside... Austyn took this picture of her sitting on the ball with my camera)

Learning positions has proven to be tough, but the positions and many of the rules in lacrosse apply to hockey. Many kids who play both increase in ability dramatically. They also aren't afraid to be pushed around when the time comes that they are expected to do so. They gain, stamina. They learn to sweat and work hard. Even watching the older kids play can improve skill, especially when comparing what they learn about the rules and positions to what the players of the more professional teams do.

First Year of Lacrosse

Zoe has started to play Lacrosse. This is her first year and she seems to be enjoying it. If you didn't know, Lacrosse is the official national sport of Canada. It can get rough, but it's great exercise and goes hand-in-hand with hockey.

While Her Brother Plays

 While Austyn plays lacrosse Zoe does many things. She sometimes plays with toys that she brought, colours, plays with friends or plays on the iPad. Here she is trying to do some acrobatics on the bar.

 Here is another move. I think the baby wants to join in.

Here is her friend. They are working together on an educational iPad game.

Here she is dancing. I think she can't wait to dance on stage.

Lacrosse Tournament 1

 Austyn's first lacrosse tournament finished. 

 They all did a great job. Here is a team picture.

 Three friends in a hug!

Another metal.


Here is a goal he got on one of the games. This goalie was not letting many balls by.


Here is the assist he had on the last game.

Great Little Lacrosse Player!

Austyn loves to play Lacrosse. He plays well. You can hear one of the moms cheer for him. They still don't know his name since we are new to this team.

They don't play it as seriously here in Alberta as they do in Ontario. In Ontario it's given just about the same seriousness as Hockey.

My hubby had fun the last time taking pictures of us while we watched. 

Zoe posed. When someone in our family has a sport, or other interest that we can attend and watch we all go to support them as much as possible.

Lacrosse Practice and Goalie Practice

 Lacrosse season has started. Sports here in Edmonton differ greatly from sports in Ontario. If you play hockey in Ontario there is a good chance that you'll play lacrosse in the summer. Here in Edmonton most of the people we talked to never heard of lacrosse and were surprised when I told them that it's the official national sport of Canada. Here in Edmonton if you play hockey, you play hockey all year round.

 Lacrosse in Ontario is different than here in Edmonton. They take it much more seriously in Ontario and it's played close to the real thing with real games and they keep track of points just like in hockey. Here in Edmonton, it's just for fun and babied down for the kids. The nets are moved in, the kids rotate goal, and when they have games the kids play for short intervals with breaks and practices in between. There is no checking here (which is probably a good thing). A benefit of the way they do it here is that more kids get to try out being goalie and Austyn was one of the first ones to ask to try it out. He will be the goalie for the second game. A downfall is that the goalie equipment that is shared isn't in the greatest shape and is large for most of the kids. If there was one goalie the equipment would be customized for that child and likely it'd be in good shape.

 Here he is practicing with one of the coaches. He is learning how to stand and block.

 Instead of watching Austyn Zoe goes to the practices and games to socialize. Her friend brought beads and string. 

 The equipment makes him look so big! Not use to that. He is so thin normally. LOL!

He did well for his first practice. It's hard to stop balls that are coming from all directions so some got through. In a real game there'd only be one ball.

Lacrosse Practice at Rexall Place.

 Austyn has started lacrosse. One of the practices was at Rexall Place. Many kids showed up from all around the city. I missed out because Zoe had dance class. Daddy took these pictures.

 Austyn is the one with the adult shirt size on.

 They split the kids up into groups to practice on the surface all at one time.

 Austyn is already one of the top players on his team (in my opinion). LOL! He is doing great!

 He really enjoys it and meeting all new players here this year seems to be exciting for him.

If you've never heard of Rexall Place, it's the stadium that the NHL and the Pro Lacrosse players use for games.

 Daddy was able to snap this shot just as the security guards were kicking them out of this secured area. 

Here is Austyn by the Wayne Gretzky statue.