3 2 Fia, eray17, | 7 1 0 2 , 7 1 February Friday, | Kevin Nagel, Oakville Beaver Sports Editor, “Connected to your Community " [email protected] Sports

ISl OJHL Blades in Burlington BEAVER OAKVILLE second overall tonight in the OLA Jr. A By Herb Garbutt The are back Oakville Beaver staff | raft, fell in love in action tonight (Friday) in N.com ALTO .insideH www As the owner and general manager of the To­ Burlington after winning a ronto Rock, it’s Jamie Dawick’s job to evaluate pair of games last weekend in talent. But he admits he was a little slow Ontario Ju­ to recognize the abilities of a budding lacrosse nior Hockey talent right under his nose. the age of four League play. “I remember I was away and I missed one of The Blades Josh’s tournaments,’’ Dawick recalled of the early edged the days of his son’s lacrosse career. “Later, a buddy Jr. Sabres who had a son on the team says to me ‘(Josh) 2-1 in Buf­ is good. He’s a special player.’ And I was kind of falo last Sunday after whipping ‘Whatever, they’re still pretty young.’” the 6-1 in Turns out that evaluation was spot on. Oakville two days earlier. After a decorated minor lacrosse career that The two wins enabled the includes three national titles (two in box, one in Blades to maintain a five-point H held) and a provincial MVP award, Josh Dawick lead over the second-place St. is preparing for the next stage after being taken With three national championships to his credit in minor lacrosse, Oakville's Josh Dawick is ready to start his junior career after being drafted Michael’s Buzzers in the race for second overall by Beaches in the On­ second overall by Toronto Beaches in the Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr. A draft. | photo by Quin Vertolli - Special to Oakville Beaver the South Division regular-sea­ tario Lacrosse Association Jr. A draft. and was simply a fan of the sport when he signed So too did his experience with the provincial son crown. “I was pretty honoured to go second,” he said. up his four-year-old son to play in the Oakville teams that claimed national titles in Oakville currently leads the “I’m excited. It’s a great opportunity and I’m re­ Minor Lacrosse house league. The introduction 2012 and 2014. Buzzers by six points. ally looking forward to it.” had as much to do with practicality “As I get older, the competition gets better Tyler Hildebrandt and Ryan Dawick got a taste of junior lacrosse last sum­ “We wanted to get him into a sport, and other and better,” he said. “Playing against high-level Foss scored first- and second- mer, getting called up to Oakville’s Jr. B team. On a than soccer, lacrosse is the only one you can play players definitely helps and I’ve been lucky to period goals, respectively, against strong Buzz team that finished third in the league, at that age,” he said. “And he fell in love with it.” have a lot of great coaches through the years.” the Sabres, with Blades goalie he didn’t look out of place, scoring twice in his Josh’s involvement and success in the game That competition will take a leap this summer Chris Elliot coming within 2:27 debut and adding three assists in his other call-up. only helped to fuel what has become a family in Jr. A. and again a year from September when of a shutout, stopping 25 shots That wasn’t a surprise to Mark Follows, who obsession. His dad bought the Toronto Rock he embarks on his NCAA career. Dawick has for the win. coached Dawick in both bantam and midget la­ in 2009 and built the Toronto Rock Athletic committed to the University of Denver, which Foss and Jack Jeffers both crosse. Centre, a lacrosse-only facility that opened in won the national field championship in 2015. scored two goals as part of three- “Josh is the most natural goal scorer I’ve Oakville in 2012. As he prepares will for those next steps, Da- point games in the win over the coached. With that talent, there’s not much you The latter has been a boon for all lacrosse wick plans to show the same determination he Rangers. do as a coach but sit and watch,” he said. “His players, giving them access to a facility through demonstrates when driving to the net. Jackson Bales and Rajic Chris­ determination is palpable and he’s got an ex­ the winter months. Josh Dawick said playing “I want to put in as much work as possible, tian also scored a goal and assist traordinary straight line to the net.” in the Rock Elite League through the winter get as many reps on the floor as I can,” he said. each as goalie Brendan McGlynn • • • against many of the players he will face in junior “Once you commit, that’s when the hard work stopped 28 Rangers shots for the Jamie Dawick never played the game himself, has helped him elevate his game. starts.” win.

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