A Sooke lacrosse player beat out dozens of athletes from around the province for a position on the Team BC Bantam roster.
Jack Kendall, 13, is one of three lacrosse players from Vancouver Island to make it onto the select provincial team, which will represent B.C. at the 2012 Commissioners Bantam National Championships in Ontario from Aug. 4-12.
In order to make it onto Team BC, Kendall underwent a competitive and gruelling series of tryouts that occurred within the last month.
He first earned a spot on Team Island, which saw about 50 athletes from around Vancouver Island compete for 15 positions.
Afterwards, Team Island played against three regional teams from Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Interior.
Coaches sent half of the players home, formed two new teams and pitted the remaining players against one another.
By the end of tryouts, coaches whittled down 60 players from regional teams to a select 21 who will comprise Team BC Bantam.
On top of cementing a position on the renowned team, Kendall earned the top overall skills and fitness award.
“It was a lot of work,” Kendall said of the tryouts. “I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to make it.”
When asked how he felt about representing the province in the national championships, Kendall said he was “really excited.”
The Journey Middle School student has been playing the sport since he was four years old, and hopes to one day play professionally.
In the regular season, Kendall plays for the West Shore lacrosse bantam A1 team. He has gone to provincials three times, but this will be his first participation in nationals.
Tyson Leies, former Victoria Shamrock and National Lacrosse League player, serves as head coach for the Team BC Bantam.