12-year-old Hudson Girardin had a terrific year with the U13 Southman Saints lacrosse team, and while he loved every minute this year, he's really looking forward to a bright future in the sport.
Before reflecting on the Saints season which was topped off by a championship, Girardin went back to the beginning and how he first fell in love with the sport. "It was my dad," he says with a smile. "I just watched him play and it really made me want to play. I started playing when I was seven, so before I got into organized lacrosse, I just played with my dad and my brother, too."
Growing up, Girardin says he did his best to emulate his dad and his passion for the sport. "It was so much fun. It's a different sport, not everyone can play it. You have to have the skill set, like speed and hand-eye."
Over the years, the young star says he's put in hard work to get better, and that's been part of the fun, too. "Lots of wall ball, that's the biggest key. You find a good ball and you play wall ball. Going on runs, too."
Once it was time to get into organized lacrosse, Girardin says it was a bit of an adjustment, but he really looked forward to it. "It was something I really looked forward too, especially the contact and the speed of other players, playing with more than two people. The last couple years, I've really built up strength. I wasn't very strong when I started, but playing the last four years, I've gotten stronger and it's made me better at the sport."
Being a part of the Southman Saints this year was special and the Ste. Adolphe product says he enjoyed every minute with the group. "It was all really kind people. Many had a good skill set coming from a hockey background, which is good for lacrosse. Good, encouraging coaches, too."
The best part according to Girardin, all the winning they did. "Yeah, it's not fun losing, but winning, yup, winning is fun," he says with a laugh."
Perhaps the biggest win to this point for Girardin and the Saints was claiming victory in the championship game, something he'll never forget. "I just appreciate my teammates. You can't win a championship without good teammates. We all worked together, passing, shooting, just moving the ball around, and having fun with each other."
Loving lacrosse for years now, Girardin really appreciates being around kids his age that care about the sport just as much as he does. "It's neat, people that have never played lacrosse now say they love it more than hockey. Winning a championship is an awful lot of fun."
Throughout the year, the Saints had a tradition when it came to being named player of the game by the team. "We had a Viking helmet and we painted it purple, black and white. Being picked to wear it, it's very neat. Not everyone gets that and when you do, you realize how hard you worked to get it, and it motivates you even more."
Not done yet, Girardin and a few of his Saints teammates are getting ready to head out on the road again. "Thursday, we leave for Brandon to go to the Prairie Cup Tournament. It's really net, because there are a couple kids on this team that had never played lacrosse before, but they're on Team 'Toba now."
Looking down the road, Hudson Girardin says a particular college would be a dream come true. "I'd love to play college at Notre Dame," he says proudly.
Through hard work, determination and skill, the sky is the limit for the young lacrosse star from Ste. Adolphe.