Ottawa's new pro lacrosse team hosting open tryouts

Ottawa’s new professional lacrosse team is hosting an open tryout this weekend.

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The Ottawa Black Bears invited 35 free agent players to try out for the team at the Bell Sensplex starting on Saturday morning.

Among the players hoping to get a roster spot is 21-year-old Cornwall resident and women's lacrosse player, Alex Begbie.

"I've played Junior B, I've played Junior C, I've gone to women's Junior Worlds,” Begbie told CTV News of her experience in her six years playing lacrosse.

“This is definitely scarier just because this is the highest stage I've ever had the opportunity to play on."

The Black Bears say Begbie was the only woman that applied to the tryout process and was selected to participate.

"It was very new for me, it's definitely a huge challenge,” she said.

“Especially as a woman, being able to come on this floor and have the coaches and the management have faith in me that I'm good enough to run with these guys."

General manager Rich Lisk said in an interview that following the success of the first ever International Women’s Box Lacrosse Championships in Utica, N.Y. in September, it's only a matter of time before female offensive players break into the National Lacrosse League.

“It seems to be a position where there's been more there. [Begbie] has been the first offensive player we've seen in a very long time, if ever," Lisk said.

The Black Bears say a very small amount of players – maybe only one or two – will be selected from the tryout to attend the pre-season camp, where further cuts will be made.

"She's out here with a lot of big players, strong, fast defenders,” said Black Bears head coach Dan Ladouceur.

“So she has her work cut out for her. She seems to be doing a very good job sort of picking her spots and when to make cuts into the middle."

The Black Bears final squad will be announced days before the NLL’s opening night on Nov. 29.

Begbie is hoping her bravery to step outside the box at the Black Bear’s tryout will be enough to open the door for more local female players to chase their professional dreams.

“I take huge inspiration from those two female goalies who were at NLL combine camps and playing in actual games,” she says.

"I'm super excited about what's coming for female lacrosse players in the future.”