Adam Smith is back behind the bench for another season with the 91原创 Junior Thunder, the team announced Wednesday, April 3, ahead of the BC Junior A Lacrosse League season.

In 2022, Smith and his staff were honoured by the league with the Doug Hazelwood Memorial Trophy as the BCJALL鈥檚 Coach of the Year. The 2022 campaign saw 91原创 post a franchise-best .714 winning percentage.

This is Smith鈥檚 10th season in the Thunder organization 鈥� he began working at the Intermediate level 鈥� and he has been head coach of the Junior A program since the 2021 season. Altogether, Smith has more than 25 years of coaching various age groups 鈥� including internationally with Team Australia at the senior men鈥檚 level and has won six different Coach of the Year awards.

After first serving as an assistant coach, Smith has been 91原创鈥檚 head coach since 2021. Smith also coaches in the Arena Lacrosse League with the Shooting Eagles and has coached with the Australian national team.

Joining Smith鈥檚 Thunder staff are Coady Adamson, Garrett Lewis, Keiffer Widen and Will Howard. Widen returns in his role as strength and conditioning coach while Adamson will serve as offensive co-ordinator and Lewis is the defensive co-ordinator. Howard is the team鈥檚 equipment manager.

鈥淭hey are all students of the game and great communicators and provide us with a great combination of knowledge and experience as we enter the season,鈥� Smith said of his revamped staff.

The team kicks off their 18-game BCJALL campaign with a road game in Victoria on May 11 before playing their home opener at 91原创 Events Centre on May 19.

The 2024 BC Junior A Lacrosse League schedule features 72 regular season games as teams battle for two spots available to B.C. teams in the Minto Cup being hosted this August in Coquitlam, B.C.

Each team will play 18 regular season games in the season which wraps up July 13 with games in Nanaimo and Delta. The top 4 teams qualify for the playoffs beginning in July - the post-season will include two best-of-seven semifinal series and a best-of-five championship series.

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