Cudas defy odds to capture U17 provincial lacrosse gold

Southern Alberta Newspaper Photo Submitted by Sam Schneyder. GOLD MEDALLISTS: Lethbridge Cudas U17 players celebrate their provincial championship victory in Medicine Hat after completing a remarkable turnaround season that saw the newly formed squad overcome early struggles to capture gold.

By Patrick Wachter
Southern Alberta Newspapers

“I do not think I have ever been more proud of a group of kids in my entire life,” says coach Sam Schneyder, reflecting on the monumental provincial championship journey of her Lethbridge Cudas U17 youth lacrosse team.

When the season commenced, a championship run was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. A sudden surge in registration had forced the Alberta Lacrosse Association to split the players into two separate teams, an unprecedented and highly controversial move.  

The resulting U17 roster was a true patchwork squad. It consisted of nine first-year runners, including eight boys and one girl, two of whom had never even picked up a lacrosse stick before. They played alongside one U15 runner, six second-year runners, and a single goalie. To round out the roster and make the season possible, five Taber Thrashers families joined the Cudas, quickly becoming integral to building the tight-knit community the team needed. 

The campaign held extra weight for a dedicated group of veterans playing in their final year of minor lacrosse. These graduating players, captain Owen Mullen, assistant captain Hudson Lamond, Jaxson Badura, Kyle Fitzhenry, Kyler LaPierre, Emmett Ruggles, and Jenner Workman, provided the crucial leadership the young squad needed to find its footing.

The coaching staff was just as green. Tate White, a former Cuda and a chiropractor new to the area, signed up to coach lacrosse for the first time. 

“He had no idea what he was getting into,: Schneyder said, noting that White also had to teach her the rules of the game along the way. “He was a rock star, and we cannot thank him enough for how he treated every kid and how his love for lacrosse brought him to our team.” 

The road to glory was not paved overnight. The newly formed Cudas squad struggled early on, dropping multiple games as they adjusted to playing together. But where others saw setbacks, the players saw opportunity to grow. 

Through sheer determinations and relentless practice, the team chemistry clicked. The youth squad excelled at respecting the game, understanding that every single player could improve and contribute, and also remembering that, at the end of the day, it was a game meant to be fun. 

After battling their way to consecutive bronze medals at mid-season tournaments, the team entered playoffs as a completely transformed unit, going entirely undefeated to capture the league title. 

Their ultimate test came when they travelled to Medicine Hat, Alberta to represent their region at the provincial championships.  Playing at the Moose Recreation Centre, the tournament started on a discouraging note with a tough loss in the opening game. Well-meaning parents tried to soften the heart-ache, suggesting that simply making it to provincials was an achievement enough. 

Schneyder and her team, however, had higher standards. 

“Lots of people were like “It is okay, we are just happy we are here,” Schneyder recalled with a laugh. “and I am like, ‘No we are not.. We did not come here to lose!’ And the kids were so competitive and so supportive of each other.”

That fierce, competitive drive carried the Cudas straight to the gold medal game.

The Lethbridge Cudas U17 dominated the final match from start to finish on the floor at the Moose Recreation Centre, roaring to a decisive 13-7 victory to claim the provincial gold medal. It was a masterclass in teamwork, with every player on the floor contributing to the historic win. 

“They were such a team,” Schneyder says. “And that is how they did it.”

Beyond the medals and trophies, he season stood as a powerful reminder of the true value of community sports. 

“The whole point of all of this is for kids to play,” Schneyder emphasizes. “And it is supposed to be fun, no matter what. These kids really killed it.”