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2019 President's Cup Champs

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 15:40:35 GMT

Rivermen success a real family affair

This article originally appeared in the 2019 Yearbook Edition of the Ontario Lacrosse Magazine

This won’t come as welcome news to the rest of the cars on the highway but the Six Nations Rivermen aren’t taking their foot off the gas pedal. The Rivermen, who’ve won four Ontario titles since returning to the Senior “B” ranks in 2013 and captured their second President’s Cup in early September, figure to be right back in the fast lane again in 2020.

“We’ve been in the hunt ever since we brought the team back,” says Stew Monture, who’s been coaching since the Rivermen revived Senior “B” at Six Nations after a year’s hiatus following the dissolution of the former Mohawk Stars.

“We’re fairly successful in a very good league. Oakville is really good, Owen Sound is good. I love the passion they have and kudos to them. But we’re not going to change our attitude. We try to win every year and next year will be the same. The main thing we want to do is keep the cohesiveness between us, the (MSL) Chiefs and Six Nations lacrosse. It’s very important.”

And so was their 9-5 victory over the Akwesasne Bucks in the final of the national championship at Kahnawake, Quebec. It gave the Rivermen their first President’s Cup title since 2015, to go along with silvers in 2014 and 2017. The host team finished third, which meant that all three teams on the President’s Cup podium were Haudenosaunee-run.

“We just realized that after the medal presentations,” says Cap Bomberry, a cofounder of the team and its president for five years before stepping down and becoming an important part of the advisory board. “You can really make a big thing of that because we’re very proud of it.”

Monture said he didn’t use the situation as a heavy-handed motivational tool but emphasized that he was "super proud" of it. I told the guys before the last game, ‘This is a special opportunity. The Makers of the Game all meet in the finals; it’s not just for yourselves, but for your kids too.’”

The Rivermen (12-3) edged Oakville Titans (12-4) for the regular season title and had the league’s best road record with just one loss in seven games. Gates Abrams finished fifth in league scoring with 48 points and second in goals with 25, while he and teammate Wayne VanEvery led the Senior “B” series in game-winning goals. Goalie Warren Hill, who led the President’s Cup in goals against, finished second in Ontario Series Lacrosse at 6.17 per game behind Oakville’s Craig Wende (5.71) but his ten wins were tops in the league.

After beating the Owen Sound North Stars, then Oakville Titans, in best-of-five playoff series —both in four games—the Rivermen advanced to the President’s Cup and after six games had already earned their berth in the final with five wins and a tie, when they met Akwesasne in the final preliminary game. Akwesasne beat the Rivermen 14-6, spiking their rematch in the final with a little extra incentive for Six Nations.

Six Nations took a 6-2 lead through the first period of the final and rode steady defence and Hill’s outstanding 29-save goaltending performance to the 9-5 victory. Toronto Rock star Johnny Powless had three goals and a pair of assists, Abrams a pair of goals and an assist and singles went to VanEvery, Zed Williams, Marshall Powless, Adam Powell and 36-year-old captain Rayce Vyse, who was in his second season back with the team after a six-year absence from lacrosse.

Wlliams led the team with 23 points in the eight-game tournament but that he finished just 13th among all scorers, tells a big part of the 2019 Rivermen story. Six Nations spread their scoring around and, especially in the latter parts of the Ontario playoffs, had to draw upon the quality of their depth to keep winning (12-2-1 in their final 15 games). Williams personifies a number of factors that helped shape the Rivermen’s extraordinary season. He’s a headliner with the National Lacrosse League’s Georgia Swarm and chose the Rivermen as his summer team, in large part so he could play with his brothers Sherman, Jon and Zach.

The Williams are one of four sets of brothers on the team. Toronto Rock’s Johnny Powless (Marshall), Warren Hill (Wayne), and Rayce Vyse (Holden) also had brothers on the team.

“People talk about teams being a family but we really are a family team,” Monture laughs. “There are a lot of blood relations. Cap Bomberry is kind of the grandfather of the team and I think he’s related to half the roster.”

“After we picked the team it clicked that this is one of the first times the majority of our team was native players,” says Jeff Powless, who was a goalie in the Rivermen’s early years and is now the club’s GM and president. “We didn’t start out to be like that, it’s just the way it turned out.”

The Rivermen had flat-out talent with a number of NLL players, including Warren Hill, deciding to suit up, but it was the quality of their depth which helped them survive a very rough patch after the opening game of the Ontario playoffs, which they lost to Owen Sound. A brawl, reminiscent of an earlier regular-season game, cost them several players to multiple-game suspension and they had to rely upon players who hadn’t seen as much floor time, as well as callups from the Junior “B” Six Nations Rebels.

Monture says that enduring the suspensions gave them experience at prevailing over some adversity “and I think that’s what makes a team strong coming down the pipe.”

Rayce Vyse agreed and adds, “There were guys who were ready to play. It’s a team with a lot of character. Everybody bought in, even before the season started. “We had a bunch of guys who came back from the NLL and they worked really hard. They didn’t demand anything, which was just awesome to see. Johnny was amazing and Zed is an unbelievable talent. He probably won a couple of games for us single-handedly.”

He says that a month before training camp opened a large number of players worked out as a group in non-compulsory training at a fitness gym in nearby Caledonia, which set an early tone of togetherness. Some players who had other options may have chosen the Rivermen because of the shorter schedule which comprises mostly weekend games, while others were drawn by familiarity. But, says Bomberry, individual motivations were brought under the larger umbrella of team unity.

“It was an opportunity to play with my brother, but also to play with my friends,” 27-year-old Hill said. “We were a pretty young team, and are close in age, so a lot of us grew up playing together. We were tightknit group right from the get-go and there was a lot of family. Even the guys from out of town had played with us before.”

Monture says Hill advanced his level play significantly this year, letting the game come to him, and the goaltender says that should pay dividends in the NLL too. It’s too early, Powless says, to know how many players will return next year. Some may graduate to the Chiefs, but a solid core is expected back in the lineup. And Monture promises they’ll be pushing for another OLA title. For now the Rivermen are relishing what they’d done.

“We got the right guys together,” Monture says. ‘”We had a lot of professionals, not necessarily in where they play the game, but in the way they carried themselves.”

Written by Steve Milton

MyLAX Ratings: A Team Approach

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 15:40:53 GMT

Where does your team rank?

This article originally appeared in the 2019 Festival Edition of the Ontario Lacrosse Magazine

Behind all of the action of weekly minor lacrosse games and tournaments is the statistical MyLax Rating System which provides the Ontario Lacrosse Association with a real-time, fact-based ranking based on team performances. Adapted to the sport of lacrosse from the creator of MyLax Ranking Technologies, algorithim czar Neal Lodin, the system of rating 500+ teams has produced more parity in provincial play than ever.

Lodin’s process of calculations has led to the decimal point accuracy as rankings are computed mathematically with no subjective component. The system is similar to that used in NCAA basketball, hockey and football in that calculations are based on strength of schedule, scores and number of games. All games have an impact and importance as the system provides equity and accuracy regardless of division classification, regional zone or participating numbers.

The entire process is coordinated by the very congenial Cheryl LaPlante, IT Rating Coordinator for the OLA and former manager of the Brampton Excelsiors Junior “B” team. Her mission and mandate is system accuracy. “The MyLax platform is only as good as it’s entries, so accuracy in correct game scores is paramount”.

Two factors in determining team ratings are Average Goal Differential (AGD) and strength of schedule (Sched). These values are computed and appear for each team at the Mylaxrankings.com website. The average goal differential is calculated by accumulating the goal difference in each game to a maximum of 10 and divided by the number of games played. The maximum goal differential cap of 10 is implemented to avoid teams running up scores to improve their rankings based on soft competitive schedules. Strength of schedule is computed by averaging the weight of each game opponent.

As LaPlante explains, “Once a week starting the first week of June every year, we enter exhibition, regular season and tournament results. Eight Zone Statisticians from across the province forward their information to two Regional Statisticians for uploading of games and tournament results in a timely manner.

Entering game scores can take anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours (depending on the total number of games played that week) so the team of eleven volunteers (including LaPlante) has to perform as a well-oiled machine. Entries and ratings are finalized every Tuesday evening throughout the summer and are up-dated and released Wednesday mornings. All this leads to the set deadlines in early July rating teams for provincial championship competition at the Ontario Lacrosse Festival.

With the 16th edition of the Festival now featuring over 500 teams and 1,000 games on the horizon, the pressure for the MyLax system to be both comprehensive and accurate is intense. The release of final ratings within the OLA Association, coaching and fan community is now more popular than summer blockbuster movie premieres. The parity between teams is now best illustrated by how close ratings are between teams. LaPlante points out that ties within ranking positions now exist and the OLA will be examining the best method to address those situations in the future; along with final rankings at year-end (with all scores from the season included) to better calibrate team groupings to begin each future season.

“The parity also shows up in how many ties we now break after round-robin play at the Festival to advance teams” said LaPlante. With the 2019 season in full heat, 4,561 scores entered to date, and each team playing upwards of 14-18 game schedules, the system does catch data entry errors (sometimes from incorrectly reported game scores). Incorrect scores and game tracking is currently pinpointed through the use of Google Docs online. This platform allows for monitoring of schedules from every Zone and accurate input to ensure real-time results. The necessary scope of including all games adds to the importance of tracking games across the province.

“The onus is on the team coaches and managers to report scores to Zone Statisticians, which we check against gamesheets where corrections are requested.” offered LaPlante.

Gone are the days of OLA rankings gurus travelling Ontario watching hours of games and teams. The MyLax Rating System has proven that decimal points and accuracy underscore real-time ranking that have improved competition at provincial championships. It’s an interesting odyssey of statistics driven by the nerve centre of volunteers including Keri Black (Hville), Julie Beetham (Gloucester), Toula Allman (Whitby), Justin Phelps (London), Sean Eno (Cambridge), Lisa Holder (Hamilton) and Donalyn Dredge (Milton) with fact-checking courtesy of Lynn Swindells (Ajax) and Julie Kettrick (Whitby). With Cheryl LaPlante at the helm, it’s an algorithm all-star team!

Written by Dana McKiel

Windsor Warlocks Partner With Local McDonalds Restaurants

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 15:41:05 GMT

Partnership Promotes Paperweight Lacrosse Sessions For Young Players

This article originally appeared in the 2019 Festival Edition of the Ontario Lacrosse Magazine

Every spring, parents flock to the Forest Glade Arena to place their little ones under the care of the Windsor Warlocks Minor Lacrosse Association to learn Canada’s national summer sport. These pudgy-cheeked boys and girls get squeezed into their shoulder pads and gloves, get buckled into their brand-new helmets, and are handed their very own lacrosse sticks for the first time. Many of these three, four, and five-year olds, as they are led out through the arena doors and onto the playing surface, stare out in wonder at their new playground, as they are seeing a brand new world for the first time.

Many of these kids will discovered a passion that they will chase for the rest of their lives. The Windsor Warlocks’ paperweight program, which features kids turning six and under, has grown in recent years, but has lagged behind similar programs in Wallaceburg, London, and Sarnia. Recent new changes to the Ontario Lacrosse Association’s paperweight system and recent sponsorship agreements between local businesses and the Warlocks are looking to change that trend.

Vice president of Greater Windsor Lacrosse Andrew Soulliere, local McDonald’s owner/operator Jason Trussell, and the McDonald’s of Windsor-Essex have teamed up to form Small Fries Lacrosse, Windsor’s newly branded paperweight division.

“Andrew reached out to me in 2016 about sponsoring the Windsor Clippers,” explained Trussell. “[The Clippers] seemed like a good organization and we do lots of things that encourage activity and extracurricular things in sports, whether it’s hockey, lacrosse, whatever that may be. It seemed like a good organization and Andrew was quite passionate about the team and not just for the sport but being part of the community as well.”

The Clippers and McDonald’s of Windsor-Essex forged a sponsorship deal that has endured ever since. “One of the first things Andrew had said to me was that they like to make sure that the boys have an appreciation for life outside of sport and they wanted them to be involved in McHappy Day […] and come out and help us collect donations. “It just seemed like a good fit for us, so we did it for one year and we’ve continued to do it each year since then.”

This spring, the two organizations are taking their relationship a step further. “Andrew came to me late last year and said he had an idea to help encourage the younger group of kids to get involved in lacrosse,” said Trussell.

“He had a neat idea for naming it, calling it the Small Fries, we talked about it and it seemed like a good idea. It allows us to be a part of the fabric of the community and to promote extracurricular activities for kids and we just decided to move ahead with it.”

“I saw an opportunity and need for this program and started working on the details and putting it together,” said Soulliere. “Jason is an amazing guy, a tremendous employer, and engaged in the community he serves. I approached Jason with this opportunity and he saw the potential and the value of giving back to the kids.”

A resident of Belle River, Trussell owns five McDonald’s locations in Windsor – Walker Road, Roundhouse, Dougall, Walmart on Dougall, and Tecumseh Rd. E.

“I started as a crew person back in the late ’80s and became a manager after two years of being a crew person,” Trussell recalled. “Then I went off to school to pursue some other career things and I came back home to McDonald’s a number of years ago, became an owner/operator of five of the restaurants in Windsor in 2015.”

Originally from Brockville, he has lacrosse in his family, and although he never played, he is a fan. His son and his nephew enjoyed the sport for a number of years and he was a season ticket holders while his family lived in Hamilton for the National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock.

“One of the things I’m very passionate about is being active in the community and giving back to the community that supports our business, as well as making sure we invest in our employees,” said Trussell. He says that one of the top reasons he chose a career at McDonald’s was, as someone who grew up in the company, watching their interactions with and support of local sports groups and charities.

Also, he says it’s just a great place to work. “McDonald’s, I personally think, is a great employer,” he said. “It’s allowed me to achieve whatever successes I’ve had in my career. “They’re the ones that granted me a scholarship when I was going to college, in fact, twice I received a scholarship, so I very much agree with repeating that type of community involvement and contribution.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, all paperweight players will get McDonald’s sponsored jersey and an end of year party. “[It’s] awesome for our organization to get a sponsor like McDonald’s on board,” said Warlocks’ president Jerry Kavanaugh. “There are some great fun things in the works for this age group; we have 40-plus kids registered for Small Fries Lacrosse. Our goal is to get every one of them back next year and grow the Warlocks program from there.” The Warlocks have been busy in the offseason, attempting to grow the game.

3-on-3 OLA Mini-Game

Helping fuel the growth of the new Small Fries division is a free-stick sponsorship for first-time lacrosse players put forth by Made to Shade Window Coverings and a new 3-on-3 mini-game initiative being pushed by the Ontario Lacrosse Association.

“[Small Fries is an] excellent example of local sponsorship that adds value to both the association and the business,” said OLA program and marketing director Ron MacSpadyen.

There is a strong potential that this year’s Small Fries division, which will incorporate the OLA’s Mini-Game Program and the free stick giveaways, will serve as a litmus test for moving the OLA’s youngest division forward.

“I think the unique aspect and great potential of the Windsor model is the combination

of their promotional initiatives,” said MacSpadyen.

“The Mini-Game Program is designed as an OLA introductory version of the game scaled for children in the Paperweight division. “The smaller floor size dimensions reduce the playing space to increase the game pace in an effort to maximize participation and development opportunities for all players.

“The game has several important features to promote the recruitment and skill development of players — no-contact environment, small floor dimensions, nets, and creases, a soft ball, 3-on-3 competition, [and a] 20-second shot clock.

“The more promotional initiatives any club can bundle with the Mini-Game Program, the more successful I believe they will be in attracting and retaining players.” MacSpadyen likes what the Warlocks are doing with the Small Fries.

“The Windsor approach is a smart and thoughtful example of such a strategy and I know Andrew is planning on adding more promotional elements for next season,” he said. “I feel there is great potential for local companies to partner with our clubs to both give back to their community and drive business results. The Made To Shade and McDonald’s examples in Windsor is something many of our clubs across the province could benefit from.”

Trussell is just happy to be giving back to his community. “I think [Small Fries] is worth a shot and hopefully we’ll be able to build on it from a small start to a larger program down the road,” he said. “I would say that all of our operators are all advocates in their communities because we all are independent store operators even though we work under the McDonald’s brand.”

As an example, Trussell explained that 100 per cent of the proceeds from this year’s McHappy Day on May 8 will be given to local charities in the Windsor-Essex community, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters, John McGivney Children’s Centre, and Windsor Ronald McDonald House. “I would say the common element though is that [McDonald’s owners] want to be a part of the fabric of the communities that we operate in. We’ve been in Canada for over 50 years now and we very much like to be local.”

“If [Small Fries] does pick up, it would not surprise me if it becomes an attractive thing for other owner/operators in different communities to participate in.”

Written by Devan Mighton

Reprinted with permission of Windsor Essex Community Publishing