The initial impact of the Delta Junior "A" Islanders now running the intermediate "A" program will take place between the pipes.
After a two month battle for the number one goaltender spot between eight possible candidates at training camp, Will Schwan has emerged as the winner and will get the start in the team's regular season opener on Saturday in Victoria.
The Grade 11 Delta secondary student has been a member of Team B.C. throughout his minor lacrosse career and last season backstopped the Delta Islanders to a berth into the Midget A1 Provincial Championships. He also was regularly called up to play at the Intermediate level and suited up for Richmond's "A" team at the provincials.
Instead of playing two seasons at Intermediate, Schwan will now spend the next five years at the junior level. The 6-foot-5 stopper was also a key member of the Delta Pacers senior boys basketball team this past season.
Islanders head coach Shaun Springett says Schwan simply won the position and it didn't take long for his decision to be endorsed by the Delta Lacrosse Association and Schwan's family.
"He has always been playing up through his career and my mentality now is we have a five year program (including intermediate) and the best players will play," said Springett. "Will stood on his head all the way through camp. I even brought in a couple of former goalies to take a look and didn't tell them about the age or experience of any of them. They all said Will should be our guy.
"The league is giving us a little bit of gripe about it but his parents want it and he wants its. We are the only province that has an intermediate league. In Ontario you go right from midget into junior, whether it be 'A', 'B' or 'C.'"
