First of Four Regional Combines Start in BC

LANGLEY, BC - Forty (40) lacrosse players from across British Columbia were put through the paces on Saturday at Canada's first of four Regional Combines being held in preparation for the 2019 IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championship. 

A full slate of British Columbia talent was on display which included Junior A and Junior B players from the lower mainland, island, and interior. "The skill that the interior players brought to today's Combine is proof that more opportunities are needed for junior aged-players to showcase their talent and reinforces that we're on the right track" said Canada General Manager Chris Fox. 

The Regional Combines are designed to provide Canada staff with an opportunity to evaluate players in person and develop relationships leading up to the 2019 World Juniors and future Championships. "It's important to get an understanding of who these players are, their personalities, and their potential in order to build a cohesive team leading up to this year's World Juniors" Fox added. 

Regional Combines put players through athletic testing, drills, and a full-game scrimmage using international rules lacrosse to provide Canada staff  an opportunity to evaluate skills and lacrosse IQ and set a baseline for further scouting over the Summer Evaluation Period. 

"It's important that we structure these combines in a way that mimics our mini-training camp in Hamilton immediately prior to the World Juniors. Since we do not practice together during the summer, players need to focus on their junior clubs, we need to make sure that we select players who can take dynamic and sometimes new information in and execute in a relatively short period of time."

The 2019 Regional Combines are based in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario due to the higher concentration of young players playing at the highest levels currently available, namely Junior A and B. The next 2019 Regional Combine will take place on January 12, 2019 at the Calgary Soccer Centre in Calgary, Alberta.