Lacrosse - St. Catharines teen makes the cut for Team Ontario

By Bill Potrecz, The Standard

Monday, July 15, 2013 11:54:46 EDT PM

Lacrosse player Jeff Wittig spent the season playing junior B with the St. Catharines Spartans, which helped him make the Ontario team for the 2013 National Midget Lacrosse Championships in Whitby, Aug. 4-10.

 

ST. CATHARINES - The third time was a charm for Jeff Wittig.
After trying out unsuccessfully the previous two years, the 15-year-old St. Catharines native finally made the cut and will represent Ontario at the 2013 National Midget Lacrosse Championships in Whitby, Aug. 4-10.
“I tried out for the last two years and I thought I would go out for my last year and I finally made it,” Wittig said.
Wittig said despite not making the final cut in 2011 and 2012, the experience of playing against the top players in Ontario was invaluable.
“It helped a lot. I’d been there and been cut twice,” he said.
When he got word he had made the team, Wittig could hardly believe his ears.
“I was shocked,” Wittig smiled. “The coach came in and told me I made it. It didn’t really hit me until the week after.”
Wittig firmly believes having failed in his previous two attempts might have taken some of the pressure off this time around. It also didn’t hurt that he spent the season playing junior B with the St. Catharines Spartans.
“I think so, but I really wanted to make it this year and I went out there and worked hard,” Wittig said. “I play junior B so I felt I was a step faster than some of the other players out there so that really helped. It’s a lot faster than midget, a lot rougher and you get hit a lot more. I really like it.”
Wittig, who plans to attend St. Francis this fall, can’t wait for the tournament to get started. Ontario’s first game is Monday, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m. versus Quebec. They play again later that day at 3:30 p.m. versus Manitoba.
“It’s going to feel good. It’s like a dream come true,” Wittig said. “I’ve been waiting for this all my life. When I was younger I watched a few games. I saw a gold-medal game and hopefully we can be in that position and win it. We’re going to be big, fast and strong.”
Wittig, who started playing lacrosse at the house league level when he was five before moving up to the St. Catharines Athletics in novice, is a gifted goal scorer who also doesn’t mind the rough stuff.
“I try and put the ball in the net as much as I can and put in some points,” Wittig said. “I mostly cause some motion in the middle and get some people open.
“When I get hit I get mad and then I want to get it back. That’s what I like to do. I was just born to play the sport. I’ve grown up with it. My passion is lacrosse.”
bill.potrecz@sunmedia.ca
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