LaxTV Forums | A Forum About The MCLA

University of Victoria Lacrosse in the news:
http://www.martlet.ca/article/3790-uvic-lacrosse-team-well-in

“This program is for everybody; beginners or experienced players,” he said, noting that the group’s goal of having enough players for both a male and female team has yet to be reached. “We have enough support to field a male team, but we still need more girls to play.”

When those teams get underway, their competition will be vast.

“We will be playing both teams from the community as well as schools from the mainland, Washington, Oregon and California,” said Potter.

Eventually, Potter would like to see the team reach the level of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) elite club team, currently the only collegiate field lacrosse program in B.C. SFU’s team plays in the Men’s College Lacrosse Association (MCLA) against American schools, such as Gonzaga University and the University of Oregon.

On April 16, UVIC Lacrosse held a pickup game on campus. Even in the middle of exams, about 15 people showed up to play. The team will continue to meet throughout the summer.

Information about those meetings can be found on the Facebook group, UVIC Lacrosse, or by contacting Brian Potter at lacrosse@uvic.ca.

did not know about uvic's interest. university of british columbia (UBC), located 15 miles from sfu has been trying to get a team off the ground for a while now. I know discussions have been heating up internally lately with several proprietors taking the reigns, but i don't know what kind of competition they're looking for, or if the pncll/mcla is even on their radar.

I thought that due to the MCLA the PNCLL was not allowed to have any more teams from Canada join their conference and it has nothing to do with a PNCLL decision.

I thought i heard something about that rule as well. It would be nice to see another team from the north join because there's so much talent up here and it could only increase the strength (and toughness) of the conference. At the same time though i think that without finding an amazing manager like Marilyn and coaches like Jeff and Hos it would be tough to initially get the team going.

There are a few strong points though: I've played box with a few of the guys at uvic and they're really driven players who love the game, plus they have a few decent methods of travel with the Clipper and Coho ferries to the states. It would still probably wind up being a bit more expensive compared to our travel from vancouver, but at least they have options.

Regardless, i think it'll be while before you see a team at uvic.

oh and happy belated 4th of july to all you guys south of the border

Travel to and from Vancouver Island would be extremely expensive and logistically difficult for U.S. teams. It is difficult enough just to cross into (and back) from Canada on the mainland, but getting to UVic would require teams to either:

1) Fly directly to Victoria and rent vans or charter a bus, which would be a hefty expenditure. Plane flights there are anything but cheap to the Island. -OR-

2) Take the Clipper hydrofoil from Seattle (about $100 round trip per person), and then rent vans or charter a bus -OR-

3) Drive up to Vancouver and take the car ferry over to the island, another very expensive option, made more difficult by rough water delays or cancellations especially in February and March. Driving to Pt. Angeles and then taking that ferry would be another option, I guess.

Now if UVic could arrange to play all "home" games at SFU or somewhere else in the Vancouver area, then teams could get two games in while travelling up to play the Clansmen.

The PNLA men's club teams which travel up to play Victoria usually bring skeletal squads of 12-14 players because of the cost and logistics of just getting up there. Compounding this is the need for valid passports, which are still not required now but will be in the not-too-distant future. I realize that all the SFU squad and staff have valid Canadian passports, but not all us American teams do and even playing up at SFU has become rare for OOC opponents post-9/11. Admitting UVic would probably be a "tough sell", even if allowed...

agree with mike. marilyn, jeff, and brent have done extraordinary work not just for sfu but field lacrosse in bc in general. They brought stability to an sfu program during its tumultuous period a few years ago when finding coaches and players were a big problem, and brought the team back to respectability. These guys put in countless hours in the community without ever asking for recognition or even a dime for their efforts. How they have time for themselves and their carrers is beyond me. They are good people as well, spending their weekends in soup kitchens and in Neighborhood outreach programs (that part may have been made up).

Anyways, if there are restrictions for more canadian teams in the MCLA, uvic and ubc may be targeting the canadian varsity league based out of ontario, although travel logistics would be a nightmare. There are some good players out there. A college called Brock university has sent 25 players to the NLL alone, and have this phenom 18 year old goalie turning heads. He's currently playing in the Wolrd U-19s, and so is ex-sfu player Crowley.

Can someone confirm if that No-canadian admittance rule does in fact exist?

Here's the current fare schedule for the vehicles ferry from Anacortes to Vancouver Island, another option I didn't list above:

Fare Information for Saturday July 05, 2008
Anacortes to Sidney B.C. Sidney B.C. to Anacortes
Display Round Trip Cost
Passenger and vehicle fares are collected at Anacortes, while passenger and vehicle fares are collected at Sidney B.C..

Fare Description Quantity Cost
Passenger
Adult (age 19 - 64) $32.00
Senior / Disabled (age 65 & over) $16.00
Youth (age 6 - 18) $25.60
Bicycle Surcharge Only $12.00
Vehicle Under 20', Motorcycle, and Stowage
Vehicle Under 20' & Driver $107.40
Vehicle Under 20' & Senior/Disabled Driver $91.40
Over 7'6 Height Surcharge $107.40
Motorcycle & Driver $53.50
Motorcycle & Senior/Disabled Driver $37.50
Motorcycle Trailer/Sidecar Surcharge $21.50
Vehicle Length-Based
Vehicle Under 30' Under 7'6 $161.10
Vehicle Under 30' $322.20
Vehicle Under 40' $429.60
Vehicle Under 50' $537.00
Vehicle Under 60' $644.40
Vehicle Under 70' $751.80
Vehicle Under 80' $859.20
Cost per foot over 80' $10.80
Promotion / Recreational
Vehicle Under 30' Under 7'6 $161.10
Vehicle Under 30' $161.10
Vehicle Under 40' $214.80
Vehicle Under 50' $268.50
Vehicle Under 60' $322.20
Vehicle Under 70' $375.90
Vehicle Under 80' $429.60
Cost per foot over 80' $5.40


Wow, taking a 50-foot bus with a 30-person contingent would be really, really pricey!

Dan, I think they have commercial package deals for organizations and businesses. But, yes, regardless it would not be cheap.

Your proposed option of UVic playing their home games at SFU would be the best bet. Like you said PNCLL teams would be able to get 2 games in one trip and wouldn't have to deal with that ferry system. Victoria's tourism industry realizes they are going to get visitors no matter what, and they can afford to charge exorbitant prices. Victoria is nice...but not THAT nice.

I don't know about that last comment andy...we have a natural history museum, a wax museum, a museum about ships, and that's just the museum district downtown. plus i hear that legendary sfu attack/middie/benchwarmer mike christians lives there

especially with its college district, victoria happens to have a plethora of good looking girls there too - too bad that doesn't interest mike too much

For the record, no teams from Canada have officially contacted me or anyone on the Executive Board requesting information on petitioning to join the PNCLL.

Geez wish, never thought you'd be the killjoy on the forum. Maybe Vic should fold tomorrow because you don't want to take a ferry. Flying to BSU is more expensive than ferrying to UVic.

If the women's team gets going, they should contact the 2009 league officers of the NWWLA, which are listed on the league website www.nwwla.org

The Anacortes ferry is always an option and the least expensive method. Should be able to walk on and take a city bus from the port to UVic. The Canadians have beautiful fields for games, and they throw great social events afterwards. NWWLA has 2 Vancouver Island based teams in the women's division, so I have first hand knowledge.

I anticipate a men's or women's team from UVic would need a year or 2 of probation before full admittance. Perhaps the PNCLL could propose a midterm growth plan to the MCLA - so Canadian club teams are admitted until they reach the cap of 10, and then they must split off to form their own Canadian Club league? This way other border regions could admit Canadian Club teams as well. Would put the priority on growing the sport instead of shutting out non Americans.

Jana wrote:Geez wish, never thought you'd be the killjoy on the forum. Maybe Vic should fold tomorrow because you don't want to take a ferry. Flying to BSU is more expensive than ferrying to UVic.

LOL Jana, I never said that I wouldn't be willing to take the ferry... and I love visting Victoria, in fact. But as a potential member of the MCLA and the PNCLL, UVic would definitely pose serious logistical problems for many teams not within 100 miles of the border. Remember that admittance is based on a majority of the conference's membership voting "yes" on such a proposal, and I doubt many teams would relish trying to make that trip to the Island.

PS Few of us fly to Boise... U-Dub did a marathon bus charter this year from Seattle to Boise to Spokane and home. Not looking forward to making that two-game circuit again anytime soon. "Thanks" to Kyle & Jason for that bit of scheduling heaven!

WWU and UW women have flown to BSU in past years, but we'll see what the future holds. Yakima has been a good meet in the middle location for us. SFU may be the right one for UVic and the southerly members of the PNCLL. Seems like Montana is a heck of a drive for the westerly and southerly teams, no matter which direction they are coming from.

Except that it is usually Montana making the drive to the west coast over and over and over again... my but is still numb from the 2006 season. We only fly if were travelling to, say, Boston.