Changing of the guard for Peterborough minor lacrosse
Aaron Garfat new president of Peterborough Minor Lacrosse Association after Chris Page steps down after 12 years as president
The recent Peterborough Minor Lacrosse Association annual general meeting marked an end of an era.
Chris Page stepped down after 12 years as PMLA president and did not seek re-election. His wife Lori, a PMLA board member for 10 years, also stepped aside as vice-president of finance.
Aaron Garfat was elected as the new president on Oct. 9 with Stephen Evans as vice-president, Amy Addison as vice-president of rep, Jason Parker VP of house league, Brian St. Thomas VP of girls, Jennifer Larock secretary and John Pacey VP of finance.
With his youngest boy Carter now a year out of minor lacrosse and going to school in the U.S., Chris Page said it was time to turn the role over to someone new.
“I’m hoping to get down to see Carter play a little bit more and he’s also playing for the junior A’s,” Page said.
“I just thought it’s been a long time and I’m looking to, hopefully, pursue other interests in lacrosse, potentially, getting involved at the OLA level or junior level as a volunteer. I have a passion and a love for the game and I don’t want to abandon the game. I enjoy it too much. I’d just like to give back in a different role.”
“Chris gave a lot to the organization,” Garfat said. “I’m fortunate he’ll be around as the pastpresident to mentor me through the first year in this role and also to rely on in future years.
“It will be a success by committee approach that we’re going to take moving forward,” Garfat said.
“I might be the president but I have a very strong supporting cast that want to help out and really grow the game of lacrosse in Peterborough. We’re lucky to have an executive board of 25 people. When we compare ourselves to other organizations in minor lacrosse in Ontario a lot of these other centres are running with eight to 10 board members.”
Page has volunteered to be convener of the annual Laker Classic rep tournament next spring and will remain on as past-president.
“I’ll still be involved mentoring and advising our current board,” he said. “I think the PMLA is in good hands with Aaron.”
His last act as president was to present his wife with the President’s Award at the PMLA’s recent banquet recognizing her volunteer contributions.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without all the work she’s done as well. She’s held almost every position on the board and in the VP of finance role she was critical because she’s actually involved in almost every other role,” he said. “I wanted to recognize how much work she did.”
The PMLA is the second largest minor lacrosse program in Ontario to Nepean. But registration across the sport has fallen in recent years.
Page and Garfat recognize the sport faces challenges from other minor sports like baseball, soccer and increasingly longer hockey seasons.
“The increase in spring and year-round hockey has become one of those challenges lacrosse has had to deal with,” Page said.
“The increase in travel clubs as well has also been a change. There are a lot more now than when I first started in lacrosse.”
Page said there are several things he’s proud of about the PMLA beginning with its reputation in Ontario.
“We continue to be one of the largest organizations in the province. We compete at the top level in A divisions year after year. The growth of the girls game and our house league program. Our house league program is the best, bar none, in the province. It’s really the bread and butter of our program.
“We hear about the rep program all the time because that’s who is winning tournaments and championships but it starts at the grassroots level and our house league is the largest out there.”
The house league boasts 600 players with another 250 rep players in the program.
“It’s been a pleasure to be a part of Peterborough lacrosse,” Page said. “That big Laker family community is the thing I’m most proud of being a part of.”