It’s the old sports adage: offence sells tickets, defence wins championships.
The Barrie Lakeshores are in the midst of a rebuilding year, bringing along young players from the minor lacrosse system, and while a championship isn’t in the cards this year for the 2-and-11 junior team, those young players could well form the nucleus of a winner before too long.
Most players prefer to take shots and score goals, but 16-year-old Bailey Kirwin’s defensive efforts have caught the eyes of coaching staff, teammates and opposition players. Kirwin, making his Ontario Lacrosse Association bow, believes in thorough preparation and a willingness to learn.
Kirwin tells BarrieToday his approach is to go “into every game and practice prepared to do a job and expecting mistakes to happen and learn from them. Also, (I value) taking advice from the coaching staff and the older guys on the team.”
Lakeshores head honcho Mike Kloepfer indicated that, while the offensive players like Jakob Power and the Acchione twins (Matthew and Cameron), are getting most of the attention this year among first-year players, the defensive guys like Bailey merit notice, too.
Still, there is a sense in the locker room, certainly in Kirwin’s mind, that there is enough of a core of young players for all players to learn and develop together, and perhaps become a power before they all graduate.
“Certainly, I believe that with the right mindset, we can develop into a strong group and make a run for the Minto Cup in a few years.”
For sure, the role of Brian Beisel is not to be overlooked. Kirwin admires his coach’s “ability to keep the team positive even when we are not getting results. Also, he gives us new strategies that fit our style of play.”
And it’s no secret to Bailey why the first-place Burlington Chiefs are the class of the league. “They play a fast and physical game that’s hard to beat.”
Kirwin is an avid water skier and hockey player when not on the court, but his long-term is focused on one day making the National Lacrosse League, “the best lacrosse league in the world.”
Bailey Kirwin and his Lakeshore mates next play the Excelsiors in Brampton Wednesday night, then venture into Mimico Saturday to play the Mountaineers, before returning to host Brampton Sunday night. Home games are played at the Innisfil Recreation Centre, 7315 Yonge St. To learn more, click here.
