Mother Nature is not playing fair.
An extended cold snap has forced the cancellation of the youth provincial field lacrosse championships. The Langley Minor Lacrosse Association was gearing up to host the event Friday, Feb. 14 to Monday, Feb. 17 at two local fields.
But then the cold arrived earlier this month and stuck around. Typically rains moderate winter temperatures in the Lower Mainland and allow for use of some sports fields during winter months.
The lacrosse association was in daily contact with Langley Township and at the fields that were to have been used for the provincials. The Township removed the snow but that wasn't the sole consideration. The municipality also tested the hardness of the playing "The GMAX was reading over the allotted threshold in many separate spots on the field, some of which are in the extremely dangerous range," association president Alex Vanichuk said when breaking the news about the event postponement. "The gauge tool was not even able to penetrate the surface to get a reading. There would be no cleat footing for players since the field is solid ice fields."
Players would not be able to get safe footing and the decision as made to cancel the Feb. 14 to 17 event.
With many teams having made plans to attend, the association next tried to find other locales.
"During this past week we had many conversations with other associations to see if we could get field time and potentially move the Provincials, but unfortunately all associations locally have had the same weather impact and their fields are closed also," he added.
A social media post from the provincial association noted that there is field availability in Richmond, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Langley and Mission on the new dates at the end of the month. They are working to arrange for officials and volunteers.
The provincial association is aware that this would be the last championships for players born in 2007 on U18 teams, and regrets that that many teams, coaches, parents and volunteers had already paid money to attend the cancelled championships.
"There are a lot of moving parts, and not one solution that meets everyone's needs," the B.C. association posted. "Please know we too are heavily invested in finding a way to ensure the kids get to play in a championship to wrap up their season."
The Langley association and BC Lacrosse Association have made arrangements for the championships to be held Feb. 28, March 1 and 2 in Maple Ridge, Richmond and Coquitlam. The girls provincials are slated for Burnaby Feb. 21 to 23.
