With the player-introduction niceties out of the way, the Rockyview Silvertips are getting their game faces on in preparation for the upcoming Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (RMLL) Tier 1 Jr. B season. The Silvertips held their annual “fun day” April 14 in Airdrie, where players were introduced to the fans.
Now Silvertips head coach Gord Henry can’t wait to cut them loose on the floor.
“It’s going to be a good season, I think,” said Henry, a career lacrosse player and coach whose son Joel played for the Minnesota Swarm in the National Lacrosse League this season. “We’ve got a good crop of kids coming.
“We’re young, but we’re going to be fast.”
He’s got eight to 10 runners on his team, so speed kills on offence.
But he’s added some Cochrane grit that will help the team over the course of the RMLL Tier 1 Jr. B campaign.
“What I really like is there are three or four boys – Drew Kantor, Justin Quantz and Robbie Fonnyadt – they played ‘B’ all their life but they’re just really good kids. Good athletes and they’re tough. They’re the kids I kind of like – mental toughness and physical toughness. They’ve been working with me over the winter and their skills are really starting to come up now.
“They’re going to make great players.”
Other Cochranites include Matthew Taylor, Kaidan Reinhardt and Cordell Lee. So with the role players added to a fleet-footed group, coach Henry is looking for an improved record following the previous two seasons in which the Silvertips struggled.
“They’re starting to commit now,” Henry said of his players. “They get to the age, 15-16, where hockey is kind of going to go by the wayside and they’re starting to concentrate on lacrosse.
“They’re putting more time in. They’re really improving in a hurry.”
That player improvement has been matched with an overall improvement to the franchise and the way the Silvertips approach junior lacrosse now.
“Even more important is the big management team we’ve got with Greg Kantor, Bob Fonnyadt and a couple others. What they’ve done is turn this into a professional sports team almost. It’s pretty exciting.”
The excitement starts for real April 27, as the Silvertips open the RMLL season in Calgary against the Shamrocks. Silvertips home games will be split between Cochrane and Airdrie, with one home date scheduled in Olds.
