It’s still February, yet for some, spring is in the air. The Midland Titans are looking forward to a new season of lacrosse.
One player in particular, Landon Girardin, 9, is excited to get back to the game.
Last year, his U11 team took home the gold medal at the provincial championships. He also won the Titan of the Year Award, which is handed out to a player from the U9 to U13 divisions.
“We wanted to acknowledge someone who truly embodies the spirit of the sport,” says president of the Titans Lacrosse association, Rachel MacDonald.
She specifies that 'spirit' includes passion, integrity, leadership, fairness, sportsmanship, and respect for opponents, coaches and teammates. That’s a tall order for a nine year old to achieve, though MacDonald affirms that Landon was nominated by multiple people.
As a thank you to his teammates and coaches last year, Landon initiated an end-of-season party. He used some of his allowance money to set up a lemonade stand and then combined earnings to pay for pizza and rent the space.
He’s really gone above and beyond,” says his mom Emily Seguin.
She explained that the outdoor rink was rented to play a game of lacrosse, parents versus kids, where everybody had fun.
Girardin will be entering his third season playing with the Titans this year. He says that he’s been practising on his own in the off-season, throwing the ball and working on his cradling technique.
“He’s an awesome kid,” says coach Jonathan Wetsbury.
Westbury describes Landon as having been reserved in his first year, though his skills improved quickly. By 2024 he demonstrated excellent team player qualities, “he accepts everyone,” says Westbury, whose coaching philosophy focuses on enjoying the sport, learning morals and making friends.
Landon and his family moved to Midland from British Columbia in 2022 and had missed the registration period. But he had his heart set on playing lacrosse. So when it came time in 2023 he attended the free try lacrosse day and it stuck with him.
His mom describes it as the right amount of challenge and fun for him. Though nobody in the family knew anything about lacrosse.
“He used to call it ‘the cross’... we don’t really know where he got it from,” she says his mom.
They sat down together and learned all of the rules and regulations.
“Thankfully we’ve had amazing coaches who are so supportive of the teams and the parents,” she says.
She explains that in his first game against Stayner she was a little concerned.
“It was a very rough game and Landon is not a rough person, so we were a little worried expecting him to not want to continue playing, but he came out smiling ear to ear, ready to get back out there,” she says.
“It’s been a phenomenal experience. Landon’s confidence has grown remarkably,” she explains, adding that he naturally gravitated toward the role of defenceman.
Westbury says Landon is fast and so they worked on building skills he was already talented at. “Not every player is the goal scorer,” he explains.
“I was surprised and happy,” Landon says about receiving the Titan of the Year Award.
It wasn’t his first award since joining the Titans, he says. In the 2023 season he received the medal for most improved player.
“He’s out there protecting his team, getting in the way of the other players trying to get the ball,” says his mom.
Landon says going to the provincial championship games was fun, you can hear in his voice that he’s smiling as he speaks about it.
“For the second last game, right before finals, I thought we were going to lose. But then the other team got a penalty and our goal scorer came up and got us two goals,” he describes.
The whole family has quickly been learning about the sport, as game rules change between divisions, adding more challenges as players age. Like the shot clock last year, Seguin explains, where players have 30 seconds to take a shot.
Through her son’s passion and dedication, Seguin has also found a love for lacrosse.
“It’s such an amazing sport and an amazing league they have built here in Midland that I honestly can’t wait for our youngest, who is two now, to be able to join the Titans and experience it for himself,” she says.
Their journey since moving to Midland from British Columbia in 2022 has been supported by the Titans' community.
“Especially for Landon, not knowing anyone here and being able to build friendships through lacrosse, it has been more than we would have ever wished for him,” says Seguin.
Heading into the 2025 season, with a room filled with everything Titans, Landon says he looks forward to being with his teammates again and "the coaches are great."
Registration to join the Titans is currently open and there are two dates left to try it out for free on February 27 and March 6.