The Ridge Meadows Minor Lacrosse Association will be well represented on both the Team B.C. bantam and midget squads at the national championships.
The midget team had four local girls selected: Kennedy Gill, Kaila Barteski, Ashleigh Lesser and Mykhaela Johnson. They made Team B.C.’s final roster last weekend.
The bantam team will be coached by Pitt Meadows resident Chris Gill, and there are seven local girls on that team of 20 players: Allison Jakeway, Reagan Gill, Lily Ferguson, Jade Lenton, Mackenzie Boldt, Alexa Ford and Belle Gagnon. Goalie Soleil Brooks was named to the team as an alternate.
The girls will play in the Canadian championships on July 18-23 in Calgary.
Chris Gill coached the four midget girls at the nationals two years ago, when they were at the bantam age group.
“That group is a consistent group – they play some real good lacrosse. They’ll be part of the core,” he said, adding that provincial evaluators were impressed by the group of girls from the Burrards.
That midget team won the gold medal two years ago as bantams, and Gill believes the team he has this year is just as strong.
“I’m as confident, if not more, that these girls can get the job done,” he said.
He added that the seven local bantams were chosen for their all-around play.
“They’re all skillful and talented young girls who bring different dynamics to the team,” he said.
Ridge Meadows is a powerhouse in girls lacrosse, in part because it has the most girls registered of all the associations in the province, said Gill.
He is well known in lacrosse circles as a hall of fame player and coach who is now a professional coach with the Colorado Mammoth of the NLL. He’s looking forward to the summertime tournament, coaching Team B.C., and with two daughters at the tourney.
“It’s a great time. And it’s refreshing to be able to coach 20 girls who are the best of the best. It’s very rewarding.”