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Third-year NLL veteran Leigh wLathini-g Stoi in,- in Anialiciii The Canadian Champion, Friday, February 6, 2004-25 Reding cagers dumtp AiesilouL Rough start for local player's team By JON KUIPERIJ The Champion With Cory Leigh sporting a shooting per- centage of 1.000, the winless Anaheim Storm might want to reassess how it uti- lizes the Milton native. Actually, that might be a bit of a stretch, considening the 23-year-old defensive spe- cialist haa taken ail of one shot this young National Lacrosse League season. However, an 0-3 start has left the Storm looking for answers, illustirated by the club's coaching change laat weekend. Despite the slow atarI, Leigh believes things are beginning to look up for the relo- cated franchise, which struggled. 10 a 3-13 record last year when il waa baaed in New Jersey. "We have a great teamn and picked up a lot of new guys. Our whole offence is clicking, we're juat not finding ways to win yet," Leigb aaid recently, pomting out that a pair of Anaheim's basses have corne ini overtime. "tt's definitely a better teamn and a better atmosphere than laat year." Playmng in bis third seaaon in the NLL, Leigh now bas to contend with cross-coun- try trips nearly every weekend instead of a relatively short comn- mute to New Jersey. The 5-foot-Il, 180- pounder retumns home between garnes and many of bis teanarnates do - likewise - perhp contributing to the Storm's stnsggles. "You deal with (the travel) but it takes a toil on the Coty Lelgh body, especially afler a gamne," Leigh said. "We don't get 10 praclice until we're down there together, tse nigbt before Use gamne... we don't have lime to gel everybody together. People practice on their own and do wbat they have to do, but it's bard 10 get Use leam cicking together." Sucb ia life for many NLL players - foreed to work part-lime jobs on the aide 10 supplemrent Useir incorne. Leigh , who also worka for Scanneil Moving & Storage, rides an exercise bike, skis and lifts weights to, stay i shape and fsres a bail around i bis baaement 10 keep bis akilîs sharp. "It's a blue-collar sport, somnetbing everyone can relate 10," he said, addig many players are employed as leachers, police officers and firemen. The NLL and ils players averted a poten- liai strike by reacbing a collective bargain- mng agreement i December, jual days before Use scheduled slart of Use seaaon. Leigh is satisfied wiUs Use one-year deal, noling, "I juat love to play. It doesn't real- ly malter Use size of Use contract I gel as long as Fim plsyig aithUe bighest level posible." Now Use primary focus is on lurning Anaheim's struggles around. Used mostly as a defenisive player, Leigb is content wiUs bis role. but admits he would like to gel a few more offensive opportunilies. "«Beig i my Usird year (i Use NLL) and playig two years of senior hi Canada, I fe, inm developig my wbole gaine. Hopefuly l'Il gel a little more lime on offence," hie said. "But I love playig defence. Defence wis championsbipa, as Use (Toronto) Rock bas sbown Use lasI five years. They have probably the least athleic club i Use league, but Usey know bow 10 play as a teaim." The Stormi will look 10 break ito Use wi column Sunday when Usey hoat Use Calgary Rougbnecks. Sice Anaheim doca not face Use Rock tbis season, Use best chance for local lacrosse fana 10 see Leigb i live acion will be Valentie's Day, wben Use Storn travels 10 Buffalo for a date wiUs the Bandits. Juveniles capfirst round decisively After a sluggisstart 10 lhiscu first-round OMHA playoff senies Wmniarz added Usree belpers, Wes McDougail assisted on Use with Georgetown, Use Milton juvenale AA Winîerbawks once firal two Milton goals and goaltender ion Sweetland collectrd Use agai are on a roll. Milton, whicb posted a perfect record in regular season play, wrapped up its beat-of-seven series wiUs Use Raiders with a pair of victories Ibis week. TMe senies cihcher, a 5-0 blanking Tuesday night aI Milton Sports Centre, saw Mark Roselle record Use shutout and five dif- ferent Witerhawks - Mike Dubbe, Kyle Burrell, Brett Turner, Chris Coates and Thomas Patrick - score goals. Milton hammered Use Raiders the previous night in Georgetown by a 9-1 counlt. Paul Szafer notched abhat trick and added an assist wbile Connor Sweeney, Julian Ricci, Chris Strank, Mlike Winiarz, Turner and Coates also tallied. victory. The Witerbawks, who won Use final four gamnes of Use series after droppig Use opener 3-2, will likely face Widsor i the sec- ond round. Widsor currenly leada St. Catharines two gaines 10 nonre i ils first-round series. Milton coach Jirn Kosmalaki, frustrated with Use teamas leUsar- gic play early in the Georgetown series, is bappier wiUs what he's seen froan thse 'Hawks Use past couple of games. "Tbey've started 10 play back to Useir regular potential," he said. WiUs aI least a week's layoff before Use second round is sched- uled to begin, Kosmalaki and Use Winterhawks plan 10 work on Useir systems, power play and breakout i practice. "The business that Considers itself immune to the necessity for advertising sooner or later finds itself immune to business."» Derby Brown Friday, Fsb l3th 6:OOpm-9:OOpm @ the Milton Mail Saturday, Feb l4th 9:OOam-4:OOpm @ the Milton Mal Saturday, Fs b 28th 9:OOam-4:OOpm @the Milton Sports Centre *A copy of a birth certificate as required for ail naw registrants. 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