Image credit: CFJC Today/Anthony Corea

By Marty Hastings

IN THE SNAKE PIT

Kamloops Venom face hurdles on quest for fourth straight league title

Apr 16, 2025 | 4:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — Significant roster turnover and improved competition are among hurdles that stand between the Kamloops Venom and a fourth consecutive Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League title.

“We’re young, but we’re still ready to bring it to the rest of the league,” Venom captain Ryan Watson said.

“We’ve got a lot of athletic players at the back end and at the front. We’re lefty strong, but we can play on both sides of the floor and we’re just going to out-physical teams.”

The Venom posted a perfect record (19-0, including regular season and playoffs) in 2023 and last year won their third straight league title after posting a 15-1 mark in regular-season action, with a plus-135 goal differential.

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General manager Brad Watson said about 10 of his players graduated from the junior ranks after the 2024 campaign.

“We’re going to be a young, feisty, energetic team,” Brad Watson said. “We have the ability to score, but young is going to be our identity, for sure – young and tough.”

Venom alternate captain Ty Richardson said he expects a promising crop of Kamloops Minor Lacrosse Association recruits to contribute.

“Physical lacrosse,” Richardson said when asked about team identity. “Ever since I’ve played for Kamloops, in all my teams, we’ve always been one of the most physical teams out there.

“We lost a lot of guys last year due to aging out, but we have some good-looking new players coming up from minor and they all look pretty athletic and it looks like they’ll improve throughout the season.”

One of the league’s long-standing members underwent an identity change in the off-season.

The Vernon Tigers are now known as the North Okanagan Reapers and draw from Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, Salmon Arm and the Shuswap.

Vernon and Armstrong merged prior to the 2023 campaign, when the Shamrocks were unable to field a team.

League policy states a team name must change within two years of a merger.

The South Okanagan Flames, Kelowna Kodiaks and Cranbrook Blackwolves round out the five-team circuit, with the West Kootenay Timberwolves expected to play an exhibition schedule.

More parity is likely this season, said GM Watson.

“I definitely think it’s great,” he said. “Now, when you come to this building, you’re not expecting a 21-2 blowout.”

The Venom (2-0-0) are scheduled to play the Reapers (1-1-0) on Wednesday (April 16) in Armstrong.

In its home opener, Kamloops earned a 10-5 victory over the Kelowna Kodiaks (0-2-1) on April 5 at Memorial Arena.

Attendance was not fantastic and the Venom are hoping to see more spectators in the Snake Pit on Saturday (April 19), when the Flames (1-1-1) come to town for a 7:00 p.m. start.

“It’s electric every single night,” Venom runner Beckett Smigielski said. “It’s a privilege to play here.”

The TOJLL post-season format has not been finalized for 2025, but if it remains unchanged from last year — the top four clubs will qualify for semifinal series.

Kamloops – which has claimed eight league championships since inception in 2008 — has suffered defeat in the provincial final in each of the last three seasons.

“I just want to build off what the guys did before me and I want to show that Kamloops lacrosse is still as strong as it has ever been,” captain Watson said.