Williams named Junior B Athletics GM
The new general manager of the St. Catharines Junior B Athletics is all about developing local players.
Chico Williams, a long-time lacrosse executive and National Lacrosse League referee, believes there is plenty of talent in Niagara to produce a winner without having to bring in imports.
“The No. 1 thing for me is it’s local kids first,” the 49-year-old St. Catharines native said. “That’s how we’re going to build this junior B franchise this year. It may have been missed in the past with bringing kids in from other provinces and other countries and all that stuff.”
Junior A Athletics general manager Jeff Chcoski, who handled the general manager’s duties last season for the B’s, is handing the reigns over to Williams, who is in the process of putting together a coaching staff after the organization and head coach Alec Tamas mutually parted ways following the season.
“As an organization, we thought it was important to put a general manager there instead of me going through the head coach,” Chcoski said. “Obviously Chico was well experienced in lacrosse with everything he did in the NLL and everything he still does in the NLL.
“It’s going be a real busy year hosting the Minto Cup and I really wanted to have someone in place there that I trusted and believe will make very good decisions also.
“It was truly an easy decision for me.”
Williams can’t wait to get started.
“I’m super excited because it’s something that I’ve wanted to get into over the last couple of years, something that kind of piques my interest, helping run a local team,” he said.
Williams has no reservations developing players for the A’s.
“I think that’s one of the biggest things that I came in with into the interview process,” Williams said. “I’m a firm believer that junior B lacrosse is to develop junior A lacrosse players. That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to develop not just young men, but we’re here to develop junior A lacrosse players so that if the junior A team calls me on any given night they can take whoever they want from our roster.”
Williams believes the Athletics minor organization is rich in talent.
“It’s going be the next man up mentality. We’ve got a really good core but it’s very simple — if Chicky (Chcoski) calls me or Steve Toll calls me and they’re taking whoever they need or whoever they want, we’re making phone calls to the next players that are on our roster. We want to be able to see what those players can do during the season because a couple of them are going to surprise us. If they don’t get that opportunity to do that, we’ll never know If they can actually handle it or not.”
Williams hopes to have a coaching staff in place before Christmas.
“In bringing in a coaching staff, it’s extremely important that development is No. 1, but it’s extremely important that they’re going to obviously work with us and the junior A’s for the next man up mentality and sharing players when the junior A’s when they need it,” he said.
Williams grew up playing lacrosse for the Spartans before moving to Burlington where he played senior B. Once his career ended, Williams became a referee and is also the current president of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Minor Lacrosse Association.
Williams plans to continue to work in the NLL.
“I enjoy being at the highest level and traveling every weekend all over,” he said.
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