Minor lacrosse is all about creating life long memories, laughing with friends and having fun.
This summer, with minor lacrosse being shut down due to Covid-19, Six Nations Minor Lacrosse President Kevin (Cubb) McNaughton and Coaching Convenor (Bantam to Intermediate) Neil Henhawk have helped create an opportunity where minor players can get outside and do what they enjoy best which is play lacrosse.
Starting in mid-June, the Six Nations youth, no matter their playing level, had an opportunity to venture out to OMSK school where five days a week they could take part in various skills sessions along with scrimmages. Now, instead of five days a week, these clinics are happening three days.
“This is so they can keep their sticks in their hand and can come out and have some fun,” McNaughton said. “We have paperweight to bantam players coming out. On Friday, I let them scrimmage and have fun. It’s like a backyard game. It can get really competitive.”
McNaughton, who has had some of his own kids participating also went on to state,
“We just want to get them off the couch watching tv. Neil and I talked about doing this and we ran with the idea. As long as they are having fun and laughing that’s what it’s all about. We have had guys like Ty Logan, Layne Smith and Ryan Thomas Green come out to help.”
Among those enthusiastically running around and playing lacrosse was McNaughton’s daughter, 8- year-old Lakelyn McNaughton.
“I like playing with my brothers,” she said. “I like it when your team has your back.”
Wearing her trademark smile, McNaughton excitedly went on to add,
“I caught my first ball at home. I caught the ball with my eyes closed and I was a little scared.”
Heading into mid-August, Kevin McNaughton plans on holding these minor lacrosse clinics until they can’t anymore due to the weather.
“It’s all about having fun, enjoying company of their peers and staying in shape,” McNaughton said.