All in the lacrosse family

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This article was published 19/07/2023 (1053 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Richard De La Ronde started coaching his twin sons, Alexander and Seth, the sport of lacrosse when they were five years old. Thirteen years later his four sons are competing against athletes from across the continent in the 2023 North American Indigenous Games in Halifax.

Not only are his four sons, Alexander, Seth, Parker and Hudson playing in the NAIG but Richard is coaching three of them on the U19 Manitoban team. His youngest son, Hudson, 15, is playing on the U16 team.

Richard said the experience of coaching his sons at the NAIG has been a fruitful one.

“It’s been fun, it’s been an experience, I’ve enjoyed it,” said Richard.

Unfortunately, with a 11-5 loss to an undefeated Ontario team on Wednesday night, the U19 Manitoba squad did not qualify for the medal round. They finished with a 1-4 record in round-robin play. The head coach said the team’s results were disappointing.

“The expectations were high and we didn’t meet them,” said Richard. “I thought there were games where we could have competed better and we were not successful.”

Alexander agreed with his father and coach adding that a couple missed plays proved to be costly for his team.

“We’ve been playing good, we just had some breakdowns that cost us a lot. Our offence has been playing good, scoring goals, our defence has been good, it’s just mental breakdowns here and there that cost us.”

While the results may have been less than ideal, Alexander said the connection he has with his brothers has proven to be an asset for him and the team.

“I don’t really have to tell them what to do, and they just know what to do and that helps me out a lot,” said Alexander.

The 19 year-old, Alexander, recently took home the 2022 Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreational Council’s(MASRC) Indigenous athlete of the year award. It was an unexpected honour for the lacrosse star.

“I was surprised, I didn’t even know I was nominated, it was a big surprise for me and I was really excited.”

Alexander hopes to play lacrosse professionally one day and will continue his career with the Maryland-based Harford Community College Fighting Owls next year. The Owls are coming off their first NJCAA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship last year.

The youngest De La Ronde brother, Hudson, kicked off his tournament for the U16 squad with a bang. He scored six goals including the overtime winner against Eastern Door and North. The game-winner will be a memory that lasts a lifetime for Hudson.

“It was crazy, my first shift I had three seconds on, I just took the ball and went down on a breakaway and scored,” said Hudson. “(In overtime) I just took that shot and as soon as I saw it go in it was the happiest moment of my life.”

Hudson grew up watching his brothers play lacrosse and tried to emulate them, especially Alexander.

“I always just watch him(Alexander) specifically, I don’t just follow the ball, I watch him and see what he does. He’s just so quick on the outside, he shoots so fast, his fakes are just unreal,” said Hudson.

Five days into the NAIG, Manitoba currently sits at fourth in the medal standings with 10 medals, three of them being of the golden variety. Luke Enns, 17, took home two golds for Manitoba in the 19U 200-metre and 6,000-metre Canoe/Kayak events, and the third Manitoban gold came from 14-year-old Jackson Chastellaine who stood atop the podium for the 14U 80-metre sprint. The games wrap up on July 23.

donald.stewart@freepress.mb.ca