Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/20/12
The Philadelphia Wings, in a joint effort with the American Indoor Lacrosse Association (AILA), are pleased to announce they have made final roster selections for the inaugural 2012 Junior Wings Peewee (U13) and Bantam (U15) teams.
The teams will head to Niagara on the Lake, Ontario Canada to participate in a three-day indoor “box” lacrosse tournament/clinic to be held from July 19-21. The Niagara Thunderhawks Minor Lacrosse Association has graciously agreed to host this “one-of-a-kind” event with the mission of promoting the positive aspects of the Canadian indoor game to enhance the skills of American Field Lacrosse players.
The goal of tournament co- organizer Paul French, who resides in Radnor, Pa. but grew up in Niagara on the Lake, and Neil Viola, president of the Niagara Thunderhawks, is to provide a premier lacrosse experience in a fun and multi-cultural environment. The long term goal is to make this an annual event and open this opportunity up to anyone with a desire to enhance their lacrosse skills by learning the “indoor” game; as well to provide Canadian kids from the Niagara Thunderhawk organization with a better understanding of the U.S. “field lacrosse game.
The players have been selected from a variety of youth programs including, Radnor, Conestoga, Great Valley, Haverford, Abington and West Chester. The full roster of each team will be posted on both the AILA website (www.ailacrosse.net) and the Philadelphia Wings website (www.wingslax.com). The teams will be coached by current Philadelphia Wings GM and Hall of Fame Head Coach Johnny Mouradian, who is President of AILA.
“Johnny is known for his educational approach to indoor lacrosse and these players will be learning from the best” said Wings majority owner French, who will be an assistant coach for Mouradian along with Scott Gabrielsen, Paul O’Grady and Gary Martin. All of these coaches bring real time experience to the team from their championship days as players with the Wings. The teams will be participating in a series of practices over the next few weeks to prepare them for this challenging event.
The format of this event will be based on pure Canadian box lacrosse rules modified to AILA standards which promote a safe, fast paced 5-versus-5 format with Canadian box style goaltending.
AILA is the leader in indoor lacrosse education that teaches and improves fundamental skills for outdoor field players, in a purely indoor format.
“The Philadelphia Wings are pleased to endorse this CAN – AM Challenge and to introduce the indoor game to youth players within our community. These kids will have an experience that will last a lifetime” said French.
AILA registrations are now open for indoor summer camps, teaching academies and future fall and winter indoor leagues at United States Training Center (Downingtown, Pa.) BucksMont Indoor Sports Center (Hatfield, Pa.) and other select indoor facilities to be announced.
To learn more about American indoor Lacrosse please visit www.ailacrosse.net
