OJALL getting older
The landscape of junior A lacrosse in Ontario has undergone a major change.
The Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League’s (OJALL) board of governors voted to extend league eligibility to 22U beginning in 2021. This change to the league’s policy would allow all players who have not reached their 22nd birthday by Jan. 1 of each playing year the ability to play junior A lacrosse in Ontario.
The extension to 22U will allow all players who were eligible to play in the COVID-19-cancelled season the ability to restore a season of competition. The decision was especially important to players who were approaching the end of junior eligibility in 2020 and OJALL teams will not exclude them from competing in any championships the league is involved with.
“This is something the league has been discussing for a long time,” OJAAL board chair Jason Shuttleworth said. “It shouldn’t be viewed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic — we believe extending junior eligibility to 22U aligns with the current competitive lacrosse landscape.”
St. Catharines Athletics general manager Jeff Chcoski agrees.
“It has been talked about for years and years and never been reacted on,” Chcoski said. “It just never came together, then with COVID and the kids losing a year, the governors made a decision to change the age.
“They would like it to align with when these guys come out of university and from there get drafted to pro.”
While the OJALL is set to move forward with the U22 division, the Ontario Lacrosse Association and Canadian Lacrosse Association have yet to support the idea.
“There is just so much to it,” Chcoski said. “We really voted to have the (19) 99s come back. The OLA really didn’t listen to it too much so at that point they (OJALL) made a decision to go to a U22 and that allows our 99 to come back and play next year, which is great.
“There are so many balls in the air right now. All I know is what our league has decided to do and we’re just sitting back and seeing what happens. I haven’t heard any reaction.
“Whether they call us an outlaw league or align with us, we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
If the OLA or CLA do not follow suit, the Minto Cup, the Canadian championship of junior A lacrosse, could cease to exist.
The 2020 Minto Cup, which was scheduled to be played in St. Catharines this month, was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.
“I’m starting to prepare and look at our roster and look at what we need to do, but by the same token, we really don’t know what we’re playing for at this point,” Chcoski said. “We’re still waiting to see if BC (British Columbia) Junior A Lacrosse League and Alberta (Alberta Junior A Lacrosse League) aligns (with the OLA). If they don’t, we’ll just play for an Ontario championship. It will change the whole Minto Cup and how it looks.”
The A’s could have up to a dozen players born in 1999 on their roster in 2021, including key contributors Carter Zavitz, Tom Whitty, Alex Simmons, Kealan Pilon, Owen Friesen and Mason Kamminga.
“These guys are going to be year older, a year stronger, a year smarter,” he said. “I think that’s going to help us as a team and help a couple of other teams as well. It definitely puts us in the drivers seat being able to prepare for next year and just tweak it a bit here and there.”
Chcoski said if the other two junior A league don’t opt in, it could create even more uncertainty.
“What happens if B.C. doesn’t decide to do it? Does that mean we can get all their 1999s? How does it work?”
Chocski is hopeful lacrosse will return in 2021.
“That is definitely up in the air. It’s such a waiting game at this point. There have been different scenarios for how it can happen. The OLA is putting a return to play committee together to get everything in place for us to play next year.
“I’m optimistic with what’s going to happen but I can’t sit in the passenger’s seat. I have to be in the driver’s seat and make sure I am putting everything in place.”
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