VanDamme Excited For Team Ontario

Emily VanDamme is getting suited up for her fifth tournament with Team Ontario. The Wallaceburg Red Devils’ netminder was selected to play with the Team Ontario Junior women’s lacrosse team earlier this month.

“It’s definitely always an honour and a privilege to make Team Ontario, I was picked over 11 other goalies to be the starter and that never gets old, even after 5 years it’s still exciting to get the news that I’ve made it,” says VanDamme.

A grade 11 student at Wallaceburg District Secondary School, VanDamme has already earned multiple medals with Team Ontario, including two gold and two silvers.

Wallaceburg Red Devils coach Jamie Knight says VanDamme has really impressed him over the years.

“I’ve always been impressed with her work ethic and her competitiveness. I have never treated her any different than the other boys and I think that she respects that,” says Knight.

“I think that she is an inspiration for all of our players not just our girls, showing what hard work can do. She is on a list of Wallaceburg greats and Team Ontario players such as Seth Griffith, Jordan Durston and Zach Herreweyers.”

VanDamme recently made history for being the second female player ever in the men’s Ontario Jr. B lacrosse league.

VanDamme says playing with the Wallaceburg Red Devils gave her the edge she needed to make Team Ontario for the fifth time.

“The Red Devils gives me that experience to play higher up in level, it helps me to always push myself a little harder, and also it gives me the advantage with Team Ontario because we have to use the Jr. size lacrosse nets with them, and me playing on a Jr. team back home gives me that advantage,” says VanDamme.

“The Red Devils have also given me tons of support, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a supportive and accepting team, they honestly just treat me like one of the boys.”

Coach Jamie Knight says VanDamme has earned her playing time with the Red Devils.

“She has played in a few games with the Red Devils Jr. B team this summer and has earned every minute of her floor time with hard work and dedication. The coaches and players would like to congratulate her and wish her the best of luck in her quest this summer,” says Knight.

VanDamme isn’t the only Wallaceburg lacrosse product that will be representing Ontario, as Tyler Davis will also be on Ontario’s Peewee team. Davis is just starting his fifth year of lacrosse with the Wallaceburg Griffins. In his last two years of peewee lacrosse, Davis had 70 goals and 62 assist in only 69 games and was a key part of the Peewee Griffin “B” provincial championship. Davis will be the first Griffin male to play for Team Ontario since Jordan Durston and Seth Griffith earned spots on the Ontario roster.

The Junior Women’s Lacrosse team will participate in the National lacrosse tournament in Whitby from August 6-9.