Prairie Dogs to compete in Saskatchewan Field Lacrosse League
Although their debut was delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prince Albert Prairie Dogs are prepared to make their debut in 2021.
The newly formed senior men’s field lacrosse club will be competing this fall against five other teams in the Saskatchewan Field Lacrosse League.
“Senior field lacrosse was really popular in Saskatchewan around 25 years ago as there was a really strong core of players,” said Matthew Robin, who is a coach and player for the Prairie Dogs. “The sport fizzled out a bit and then box lacrosse took over, but now it’s starting to come back here over the last few years.
“There’s a lot of players that are aging out of field lacrosse (in the junior ranks) and this gives another outlet for these players. Growing up in Prince Albert, I wish that I had senior field lacrosse available for me instead of having to travel elsewhere to play it.”
The Prairie Dogs will be playing six to seven times each year at weekend festivals that take place around the province.
“It’s a really fun atmosphere with the senior league as everyone’s on a learning curve with playing the game, but you still have that intense atmosphere when the playoffs roll around,” Robin said.
“I moved back from Saskatoon recently and I knew that there were a lot of field players here that still played for the Outlaws (the senior box lacrosse team in Prince Albert) and there were other guys that had played strictly field lacrosse but there was nothing for them at the senior level. As a result, we’ve been able to put together a good mix of guys who have played and guys who haven’t played field lacrosse.”
The team also got to see some of their potential future talent during Under-18 summer camps that were put on by the Prince Albert Lacrosse Association.
“We were able to run a few practices and scrimmages with a limited amount of players so that we could follow the COVID-19 regulations,” Robin said. “We have a good idea of our roster, but everything’s obviously up in the air as we wait to see what the restrictions are and what they will allow us to do to get ready for the new season.”
The SFLL, which was founded in 2017, also features the Regina Southern Comfort, Moose Jaw Tommy Guns, Yorkton Olden Knights, Sturgis 9-1-1 and Saskatoon Plainsmen.
“Field lacrosse is becoming very popular in the province and it’s really growing fast as more people want to try it,” Robin said. “I think another thing that has helped with that growth is the new pro league (the Premier Lacrosse League) in the United States, which is heading into their third year and is really blowing up in terms of its popularity.
“The Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association is really trying to grow the sport and I think the expansion of the SFLL is a good way to do that.”
For more information on the Prairie Dogs, visit the Prince Albert Lacrosse Association’s Facebook page or the team’s Instagram page, which is sfll_pa.
