Athletics wrap up successful regular season
Tyler Brown, left, and Saul Van Der Zalm were among nine graduating members of the St. Catharines Athletics who were honoured Wednesday. Photo by BILL POTRECZ
Saul Van Der Zalm and Tyler Brown always admired the St. Catharines Athletics from afar.
Van Der Zalm grew up in Niagara-on-the-Lake and followed the A’s closely before joining the organization full time this season.
“I’ve been watching these guys and grew up playing against them and with them for a long time now,” Van Der Zalm said. “I made the jump at the end of last year and thought we had a good group of guys here and wanted to be part of it and hopefully make some history.
“It was a good fit coming here. Every time I walk in this rink, it’s smiles all around and the energy in here is awesome.”
Brown, meanwhile, was raised in Burlington and played minor against several of the A’s before playing the last few seasons at the junior B level in Wallaceburg.
“It’s amazing. I always knew everyone,” Brown said. “I’m good friends with (captain) Latrell (Harris) for the last three or four years and to finally be here is amazing.
“I’ve love being part of the double blue.”
Van Der Zalm and Brown were honoured Wednesday along with Harris, Riley St. Onge, Nick Damude, Alex Pace, Kyler Kilgour, Jake McNabb, Bradley Fannell and the injured Brett Erskine as the graduating class of 2019.
Van Der Zalm quickly impressed the A’s with his veteran presence.
“He brings a lot more leadership than we knew we would get out of him even though he was a captain with Niagara-on-the-Lake,” A’s general manager Jeff Chcoski said. “He comes and plays game in and game out. You always get the same from Saul. He’s never going to give you that weak game. He’s a full, 100 per cent player.
“He’s there to win a championship.”
Van Der Zalm admitted there was an adjustment period.
“At first, even the coaches were asking me to take more of a leadership role and, at first, I was a little uncomfortable,” he said. “I was just trying to feel it out and then I realized I just have to play my game and be a vet and play my role out there. I just started to step it up and be more of a veteran on the floor.
“A lot of times the coaches said they noticed me stepping back on the bench but these guys have been running this system for six years. They told me I was just as good and to have the confidence like those guys.”
Brown came into Wednesday’s game with 12 goals in 10 games and is also a solid character player in the room.
“He’s always a fun guy who had a smile on his face,” Chcoski said. “He went through a little streak with his shoulder but he’s rounding into form in time for the playoffs.”
Brown is happy to fill whatever role he can for the A’s.
“I don’t care if I score, as long as we win I’m happy. All that matters is the two points at the end of the day,” he said.
“You just want to win the next game. That’s my mindset. You don’t want to look past any game and keep preparing for the next one and keep going.”
The A’s used their full lineup Wednesday even though they had already locked up a playoff spot.
“I went to five or six different guys and told them they had the option to get some rest and get your body ready for the playoffs and to a man they said they wanted to go,” Chcoski said. “It shows a lot of character out of our group. We have a core group that is far beyond three or four guys. There are 10 or 12 guys who are leaders in there, 100 per cent.”
The A’s defeated the Barrie Lakeshores 12-1 to wrap up their Ontario Lacrosse Association junior A regular season schedule with a 15-5 mark.
The A’s will now wait to see where their 15-5 mark lands them in the standings. The 15 wins in the most for the team since 2011.
“It’s within a win here or loss there of where we saw ourselves being,” Chcoski said. “What’s interesting is last year 15-5 got you first place. This year 15-5 could get you third.”
The regular season wraps up Monday. The A’s are slated to open the best-of-three first round of the playoffs at home next Wednesday.
“I’m proud of that dressing room. They’re ready to go. We have all the pieces we think we need to do what it takes to get to the next step,” Chcoski said.
Brown led the A’s with three goals and two assists while John Kit added two. Singles went to Carter Zavitz, Kealan Pilon, Alex Simmons, McNabb, Liam McDonald, Kilgour and Brayden Mayea.
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