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WEM'Y FREE PRESS WEDNEBDAY, APRIL 4, 1M9, PAGE 37 Forýmerlacrosse coach dai1ms foui By Mke Kowalsld A veteran ininor lacrosse coach clama he was denied a toam this year because he chose te give Up administrative. aspects of the game. But the president of the WVhitby Minor Lacrosse Associa- tion refutes that charge saying it was a simply a choice bowoen two mon ana someone had ta, loge. In- an "open letter» to the lacrosse association, which was delivered to Tho Fr-ee Press, Don Lawson su~s he was "shocked" at the league s deciéion to deny him a teain. L Iawson's letter makes refor- once to hie alnxost seven years involvement with mineir lacrosse at both the coaching and administrative levels - through bh od tixnes and bad. "Mrlacrosse is very.cyclical and right new is enjoying tre- mendous. success,»" says the let- ter. "But when the current finan- cial backing goes away and lacrosso swings back to harder times, how many of yeu will be at Willow Park hainmering the boards back together, coaching, refereeing and convening at the sanie turne ... » In an interview, Lawson said his decision to "hase mryseif off of the board of directors» was instrumental in the board refus- inghim a teain. ,Ijust wanted to coach, but the impression 1 got was that if I' not going te help, I wouldn't get a teain. . «A few people told me they couldn't believe it either." Ljawson said ho ceuld accept the boards- decision if it was simply a matter cf' two oqually qualiflod people appyn 6th saine teain. afote said, Lawson, noting that the successful applicant is a member of the board. - Lawson saidj that when the lacrosse association was having difficulties a few years ago, "two or threo of us kept it'going, we bujît it back up and kept t ho costs down. «A coup le years ago wo were down to 60 or 70 kids, last year there were almost 500, and this yar reffistration is over 700, 1- bl ieve. Lawson said he will net pursue the matter further, noting that "this type of thing is wliat killed it (lacrosso) in the first fflace.»* According to lacrosse associa- tion president Dieter Kirner, «When you're an.organization liko ours you are absoiutely and totally stuck when two coaches appl for the sain ob. .eeither of the two coaches wanted te, work with each other, se we had to decide between them. .«He's (Lawson) contributed a lot, no question. But that doesn't P.m.I Cost is $3. For informationI about peewee and novice, cal Jim Bis-hop at 430-0651; for ban- tain, Jim Brown at 728-4078; fOlr For gen Ralsinforation3-ca5l Foidge, Bossinfesmati723-4159 Dave Edgar at 428-0341 (busi- ness) or 728-4778 ( holne).' guarantee you the right te say 'I want this teain.' » The teai in question is in the tyke A age category, comprised primarily of eight-ye-olds but with some PI ay ors a yoar younger. The successful applicant coa- ched the tyke B teamn last year but wanted -te move up this soason. Kirner acknowledged that this person is a board director, but said it had ne boaring on the vote. Ho said that while Lawson's contributions are knewn te sea-z soned board members, seme of the nower ones* may net ho as faniiliar with him. «Don was offerod another team cf older boys but ho didn't want it,» said Kirner. "can understand why, when you coach the younger fellows, you can grow quite attachod te them." In a fellow-up interview, Law- son said ho was not interested in coaching another teain.1 «Everyone expected this (tyke A) would be my teain.» Another point Lawson mon- tions in his letter is that the association pays people te «volunteer» their turne at fun- Senior team lias openrngrs Team try-outs -for the Whitby senior basebal'team will begin in mid-4pril at Iroquois Park. Jody Trner, player-manager Of the club which playsý in the Eastern Ontario Baseball Asso- ciation, says four positions are oeon this season with some pi ayors net roturigfonls seasoné tasm ner at 576-6235. draising bingo gaines. «As a volunteer you'shouldn't oxpect money, you should -givo freely of your time,» said LaIw- son. Kirner emphatically deniod that bingo volunteere are paid cash. Ho said volunteors are assig- ned credits for their turne. The credits are thon taken inte, account for reimbursing money spent by parents for their chul- &rensdequipient. As Kirner oxplainod, the asso-* ciation will only reimburse someone whe has propor sales receipte. The amount is doter- mined b the number of credits. «Wo do it the saine as hockey. They found they couln't get volunteers oithor,» said Kirnor. «Wo modelled our system along the saine linos. It's illogal te pay peop e.» I&rner admitted that lacrosse rocently oxporienced somo bean yersbut saidthe port is now ?omi in Durhain Region. «Wo'l have over 50 house beague teanis and close te 700 players. This is a hotbed cf lacrosse and it's - rwn rad the association wants te, insure that if lacrosse again experiencos tough turnes, the blow will b. cushîoned. «Wo've taken steps te make sure it dosen't die out. You can't always guarantee you'll have enough money te sée you through. "Meney may be stockpiled at turnes but this is te help eut for tho bean years.» Kirner, said the association deoisits funde in one of two acut, administrative or ser- vice. Tlhe latter is for money colec- ted frein the pCublic through bingos, sponsorship and fun- draising and al? items are Separately identified. Regitrationfeosfrqm parents cf piayors are kept h administrative account. Despite Lawson'salàlegations,' Kirner stili holda eut the olive branch. «I can appprociate how ho fools, but I hope ho decidles te corne back., We StiR think he's a great 4hy can use aIl the rheteric they want but that dosen't change what happened,» res- ponds-Lawson. «I still back lacrosse. I don't want any kids te suifer.C B.F. GOe] 1:1RoIC THE LOK TAT 1 CA*: E:BAT LKE ONTARIO JJSTEL COMPANY HPKINS ST. S., WHITBY qýj ýdabte -cE A_: àK C> Fb cb mq C>Wra M..à OBODY COMPETES LIKE WE DO