What’s the old team sports cliche; games early carry just as much meaning as games late.
Pick your league or team sport and you’ve heard it applied.
Using lacrosse as an example, the Owen Sound Garb & Gear NorthStars missed the Ontario Junior B post season for a 4th consecutive year, missing the 8th & final playoff berth by 1 point.
In the eyes of Garb & Gear Coach & General Manager Keith Peer, the biggest factor for the NorthStars missing the playoffs was on Opening Night.
On Saturday April 26th, Owen Sound opened the season at Welland & suffered an 11-9 defeat to the Generals, the very same Generals who would nip the NorthStars by 1 point for a playoff berth.
Amazing, that a defeat in Game 1 of a 20 game schedule would carry so much significance.
On a related note, Peer, who has openly stated his intention to return as Coach & GM of the club, related that on opening night, Garb & Gear went 0 for 12 on the power play.
Imagine what 1 or 2 man advantage goals might have meant to the team, the program, the present and the future.
Looking forward, Peer’s biggest desire is to illustrate that Junior B Lacrosse is a great fit for homegrowns, rather than witness a continuing exodus of gifted players to Junior A centres.
Plus, Peer states the preparation stage for 2015 will be key, so Garb & Gear will be geared up for Opening Night and not be in a pit after the opening weekend.
I’m Fred Wallace