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Outlaws showcase talent

Drew Bannister and Ethan Dodge have both played lacrosse for the Shuswap Outlaws for a number of years
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Skill set: Shuswap Outlaw lacrosse players

Drew Bannister and Ethan Dodge have both played lacrosse for the Shuswap Outlaws for a number of years.

Dodge was most recently part of the 2016 provincial gold medal midget team.

Both players excel in both box and field lacrosse, and coaches and scouts took notice.

The duo was given the opportunity of a lifetime. As members of the Burnaby Selects Lacrosse teams, they were invited to the All Canadian Games in Oshawa, Ont.

The premier lacrosse event was held over three full days in late June.

The event drew more than 400 of the top student athletes from across Canada to play in the  tournament.

Participants from across Canada and New York state showed off their skills in front of more than 60 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) coaches from divisions one to three from the U.S., as well as the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) programs looking for high-calibre student athletes.

The NCAA coaches and scouts came up to the camp looking for instinct, toughness and stick skills honed not only on the field but in the box and the rink.

Each year the number of Canadian players in NCAA schools rises by 30 per cent as events like these increase the exposure to a large number of college coaches in one spot.

Both Dodge and Bannister were able to play amongst the best players in Canada.

This coming fall, the duo will have the opportunity to continue improving their game, as Shuswap Minor Lacrosse is expanding into field lacrosse for its second season.

Dodge and Bannister will both be eligible to play on the U18 team.

Shuswap Minor Lacrosse had two teams last season, U15 and U11.

Moving into the 2016 field season, the Outlaws are hoping to expand into more divisions from U18 down to U7.

Shuswap Minor Lacrosse will be hosting a skills day with varsity SFU players and Armstrong Shamrock players, Sunday Aug. 14, 10 a.m. to noon at Blackburn field.