BAYHAWKS LACROSSE

Lacrosse is Back in a BIG Way in Quinte

By Joe Fee Quinte Bayhawks Lacrosse 

Lacrosse is back in a big way in the Quinte region!  The Quinte Bayhawks 2022 indoor recreational league picked up where it left off after its inaugural season in 2019, as youth (and parents) across the area discovered an exciting new sport.  Players participated in skill development clinics, house league games, exhibition games with neighbouring teams from Kingston, Tyendinaga and Northumberland, as well as house league select games with Nepean.  The U17 Quinte Bayhawks rep team is looking forward to the provincial championships in early August where it hopes to take the next step after the 2019 U13 Bayhawks came home as provincial finalists.

As the indoor season winds down, the Bayhawks organization looks to bring the lacrosse experience full circle with the introduction of recreational and club field lacrosse, including the new Olympic Sixes format, as lacrosse looks to make a big return to the Olympic Games in the coming years.  Planning is underway for a fall program that will allow players to discover the sport all over again.  

The Bayhawks look to build upon their successful 2021 fall outdoor recreational program with expanded divisions and more time on the field.  Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is a big part of that in the United States.  The professional league has taken the sport across the country and founded a new level of excitement in the sport.  Many players from Ontario, among the best in the world, are stars in the PLL.  The Quinte Minor Lacrosse Association looks to establish club teams in the U13 and U16 divisions that will participate in a provincial league that typically runs from Labour Day to Thanksgiving, as well as enter tournaments in New York State.  

Locally, Eastside Secondary School has a field lacrosse team that competes with other schools from Kingston, Cobourg and Peterborough.  Through development at the youth level, we are sure to see other high schools in the area form lacrosse teams in the coming years.  The QMLA aims to play a big role in that by promoting the sport through elementary school and supporting the development of coaches and officials.  The Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) exists to provide high-level field lacrosse at the post-secondary level, with many players moving on to play professional lacrosse.  Additionally, there are opportunities for student athletes to cross the border and play at the NCAA level.    

This was the case for Nicholson Catholic College graduate and Prince Edward County resident Luc Mayfield, who will be attending and playing lacrosse at Yale University this coming fall.

Keep an eye on the website https://quintelacrosse.com and @quintelacrosse on social media for details about the upcoming Quinte Bayhawks field lacrosse opportunities and other lacrosse programs put on by the QMLA.

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