Eight-week field lacrosse camp to begin on Wednesday
As more sports begin to resume around the province, Prince Albert Lacrosse will finally start their 2020 campaign next week.
The association announced on Friday that registration was open effective immediately and an eight-week outdoor lacrosse camp would start on Wednesday, June 24 and run through Thursday, Aug. 20 at the John Diefenbaker Football Field.
The camps will involve the Under-8, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-18 age categories, with each group training twice a week.
“This camp will serve as a great opportunity for any lacrosse player to hone their skills or gain new ones,” Prince Albert Lacrosse said in a prepared statement. “This camp is open to box or field players but will have a field feel.
“Although, this is a skills camp if restrictions change while the camp is running PALA would be able to transition into competition through this format. PALA will be following Saskatchewan’s Return to Lacrosse Plan which means things will function differently than a normal season.”
In their release, Prince Albert Lacrosse also revealed some of the guidelines that are in place for the program:
- Athletes will be assigned to a group. If there is more than 25 athletes in each age group, two groups will be created. There will be 25 players max in each group, which will allow for five volunteers-Group Manager/Group Coaches.
- Athletes are to enter from Crescent Heights rink parking lot.
- Athletes are to exit Cook Drive.
- Athletes are to dress in gear at their car.
- If parents want to attend, they need to bring their own chair and follow social distancing guidelines. Parents are discouraged from attending. Bleachers are off limits.
- Hand sanitizer will be provided and encouraged on a designated table.
- Personal water bottles are required. There is no sharing of water bottles. An area will be designated as a water station, and they will need to be spaced to follow social distancing guidelines.
- Attendance will be taken at each session by a volunteer.
- If you are sick or feeling unwell, stay home.
Further details on the program, along with registration information and costs, can be found on the Prince Albert Lacrosse Facebook page or at palax.ca
Friday’s release from Prince Albert Lacrosse coincided with Sask Lacrosse announcing their return plans.
“Working with our Provincial Health Authorities, Sask Sport, other Provincial Lacrosse bodies, and our colleagues amongst other Provincial Sport Bodies in Saskatchewan, the SLA has put together a plan that allows us to Return to Lacrosse in a cautious and methodical manner, based on the best available evidence to optimize the Association, community safety, and the safety of our athletes,” Sask Lacrosse said.
“This (Return to Lacrosse) document is activity based focused right now as we work on bringing our athletes together to start to get active again and refresh their fundamentals, once the Provincial Government and Provincial health Authorities deem it safe to do so, this documents will include a Return to Competition plan. This plan will also be updated as guidelines are updated and more phases open.
“While this may not be a typical Lacrosse season in Saskatchewan, we are happy to get started and make the best of the months we have left.”
Prince Albert was to have hosted the field lacrosse provincial championships last weekend at Prime Ministers Park, but that event has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League’s junior and senior box divisions have not played this year, with the league itself not making any statements on the status of 2020 season since a press release on April 5.
