Teams

Our six team names and meaning: Bears, Bats, Hawks, Turtles, Deer and Flying Squirrels

Bear represents courage; having the courage to stand up to our fears and to have courage to stand up for others. We choose to take colours from the three bears we have in British Columbia and integrate them into the design. Using black to represent the black bear, brown to represent grizzlies and white to represent the Spirit Bear. (finishing 2nd in the 2022-2023 season)Deer represent tenderness tempered with strength. This allows deer to act even when obstacles challenge the path, and to never back down. We choose to take the colours from the black tailed deer found all over B.C. (finishing 6th in the 2022-2023 season)Turtle represent truth, and wisdom. That the learning from a journey can be more important than the destination. We choose to take the colours from only native turtles to B.C., the painted turtle. (finishing 3rd in the 2022-2023 season)

Hawk represents determination, and focus. Coupled with its aerial agility, it provides the hawk with the ability to see prey at great distance and quietly fly with great speed towards their goal. We choose to take the colours from the Northern Goshawk that resides all over B.C. and are hard to see as they prefer to live away from civilization. (finishing 4th in the 2022-2023 season)Bat represents transition, and the start of a new beginning. As we enter into our second season, we are transitioning from what we have known for female box lacrosse to be, into another level of higher competition, ability and play. We choose to use the Silver- haired Bat native to BC.(finishing 5th in the 2022-2023 season)

Flying Squirrel represents keeping focus on one's dreams and goals. Each of us has dreams we are working towards both in our personal and lacrosse lives, because of the focus needed to help achieve these and the announcement that Women's Box lacrosse will be at the World level. We choose to use the Northern Flying Squirrel that is native to B.C. (League Champions for the 2022-2023 season)

Staff

Administration

Denise Forlin

Women's ALL West Commissioner

Emailallwestwomenscommissioner@gmail.com

Denise has been passionate about lacrosse and an active member in growing the game in BC for over 30 years. She has found ways to give back to the sport she loves through her endless commitment.

She currently runs Langley Senior B and C program with her daughter Jenn Forlin.

This is Denise's second season with the ALL West Women's and we continue to thank her for her involvement and advocating for the female side of lacrosse.

Denise brings years of experience with her, and has been a tremendous alley in growing opportunities for female lacrosse in BC and the creation of the ALL West Women's league.

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Christine Morrison

Assistant Commissioner

Emailallwestwomenscommissioner@gmail.com

Christine Morrison has been actively involved in lacrosse for over 15 years; findings ways to help give back to the sport she is passionate about while advocating for female lacrosse in B.C.

This is Christine's second season with the ALL West Women's and we continue to thank her for her involvement and advocating for the female side of lacrosse.

Christine brings years of experience in many different positions in various associations that she has been apart off. Which has aided in the delivery of the ALL West Women's and the continued growth we envision for female lacrosse in B.C.

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Savanna Smith

Emailallwestwomens@gmail.com

Savanna Smith has had the privilege of playing lacrosse since she was 5 years of age. She has played male box and field lacrosse; and has been the only female to make Team BC U-19 for men's field lacrosse. With the help of 4 women she was able to start a female field lacrosse in B.C. and helped create the community league that exists for females today within the lower main land. She graduated from La Salle University in 2014, where she played division 1 lacrosse as an attacker turned into a goalie.

Savanna currently is involved in the Senior Women's Box lacrosse league, as the Leagues Chair and runs New Westminster Senior Women's program. As well as Vancouver Women's field lacrosse program.

She has been coaching lacrosse since the age of 14, and currently coaches in Fusion West Lacrosse, community lacrosse and Indigenous lacrosse programs.

Savanna is one of the women behind the ALL West Women's division, and looks forward to continuing to grow the league and provide opportunities for female box lacrosse in British Columbia.

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Coaches

Carla Putrus

Bats Co-Head Coach

Carla has had a passion for lacrosse, and a love of the game since she can remember. Playing both box lacrosse and field lacrosse during her career. Carla has been opening doors for women's lacrosse for many years, as a player and mentor. She continues to try and find ways to support women's lacrosse by sharing her knowledge with others.

She is currently on the executive for the Senior Women's Box Lacrosse League through the BCLA. As well as a player in the league, and helps with the management of her team.

Carla will be co-coaching ALL West Women's Team Bats with Garrett Ungaro for the 2022-2023 Season!

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Garrett Ungaro

Bats Co-Head Coach

Garrett is currently the President of Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse, Vice President of Coquitlam Junior Adanacs, and Assistant General Manager of Coquitlam Sr A Adanacs.

Garrett is a lacrosse Canada Certified Level 2 Coach, with over 10 years experience as a Head Coach of BCLA Female teams, and Team BC Female Regional Teams.

As an Executive with the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs, he has successfully assisted the Junior A team at 8 Minto Cup National Championship appearances (Winning 2 Minto Cups), 4 Junior B Founders Cup National Championship appearances (2 Bronze Medals) and numerous Provincial Playoff Championships.

Garrett will be co-coaching ALL West Women's Team Bats with Carla Putrus for the 2022-2023 Season!

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Matt Black

Bears Head Coach

Matt has been involved with Lacrosse for almost 50 years as a player and coach.

He played Jr A in Coquitlam and Senior A in Coquitlam and New Westminster. He also played MSL in Ontario for the Brampton Excelsiors.

He has been coaching female lacrosse for the last 15 years, and has been successful with his team club( New Westminster Salmon Bellies) winning gold in the Provincials and Coaching Team BC to a gold medal in the Nationals in 2019.

In 2019 he was also awarded the Lacrosse Coach of the year for 2019 from both the New West club and by the BCLA.

Matt has also been on the board of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame for the last five year, and for the last two years he has also been Chair of the Hall of Fame.

Matt will be coaching ALL West Women's Team Bears with Doug Sweeney and Ian Paterson for the 2022-2023 Season!

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Doug Sweeney

Bears Assistant Coach

Doug will be coaching ALL West Women's Team Bears with Matt Black and Ian Paterson for the 2022-2023 Season!

Cherlyn Billy

Deer Co-Head Coach

Cherlyn is passionate about the sport of lacrosse, and creating opportunities for others to be able to play. She has years of knowledge and wisdom to pass on to the players

Cherlyn was part of the first U-19 Indigenous Females Team BC for the 2017 North American Indigenous Game. Being an interaural part in the overall success of the team, both on and off the floor.

Cherlyn started the Storm Selects Lacrosse Society; which continues to help Indigenous players of this great game. To help bring awareness to women's lacrosse she started the BC Women's lacrosse Facebook account.

Cherlyn was to coach ALL West Women's Team Deer with Jenn Forlin for the 2022-2023 Season; and sadly passed on Dec. 15. 2022.

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Jenn Forlin

Deer Co-Head Coach

Jenn has been involved in lacrosse in many forms for 19 years. She is an athletic trainer with a Degree in Kinesiology. She had been involved with Team BC Stars and Selects for Men's U19 and U16 field lacrosse for a number of years.

Jenn has been a running teams, managing and taking part on various executives throughout the BCLA. Finding ways to continue to grow the sport, in the past 19 years that she has been involved.

She has worked as a fitness trainer with high performance athletes through lacrosse, and found ways to aid them towards their goals of NCAA lacrosse.

She has taken her NCCP community and competitive modules making her a certified level 2 box lacrosse coach and recently took the Aboriginal Coaching module.

Jenn has a passion and love for lacrosse. Her goal is to continue to develop and ensure that those that wish to play the Creators game can continue to do so throughout their adult years in a safe and injury-free environment.

Jenn will be coaching ALL West Women's Team Deers with Cherlyn Billy for the inaugural 2022-2023 Season!

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Ryley Brown

Flying Squirrels Head Coach

Ryley joins the ALL West Women's coaching staff for the 2022-2023 season, and coaching Team Flying Squirrels.

Ryley will be joined by Don McGregor, Kevin Wade, Brodie Tarling and Jack Margetson to round out the coaching staff.

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Bruce Hollingshead

Hawks Co-Head Coach

Bruce will be Co-Head coaching ALL West Women's Team Hawks with Les Schmidt and Scott Mackenzie for the 2022-2023 Season!

Les Schmidt

Hawks Co-Head Coach

Les will be Co-Head coaching ALL West Women's Team Hawks with Bruce Hollingshead and Scott Mackenzie for the 2022-2023 Season!

Russ Aunger

Turtles Head Coach

Russ is joining the ALL West Coaches Staff for our 2022-2023 season; Russ will be coaching Team Turtles with Peter and Derek Murrel!

Peter Tellis

Coach

Peter coached Team Turtles with Russ Aunger for the 2022-2023 season!