Tuggy tournament all set for second go-around

OSHAWA -- Fans will certainly get their fill of lacrosse at Oshawa's Civic Fields this weekend.

And by coming out to watch, they'll be supporting a good cause as well as the second annual Rick 'Tuggy' Passfield Memorial Field Lacrosse Tournament takes over Durham Region.

Six teams from Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington will convene for the three-day tournament that was built to heighten awareness for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), which was the undetected heart defect that took Passfield's life in 2005 at the age of 21.

Though operating with fewer teams than a year ago, tournament officials are confident this year's event will once again be a success.

"It's a little disappointing that we couldn't get teams from out of province, or any U.S. teams because of the time of year, but it's still going to be a great event," said Joel Johnson, one of the tournament co-ordinators. "We think it'll still be a busy spot and a good weekend of lacrosse because it's turned into a close to home thing."

Passfield had connections to all three surrounding areas as a resident of Oshawa, a star in net with the Clarington Green Gaels, where he won a Founders Cup, and eventually plying his trade in net with the Jr. A Whitby Warriors.

The next logical step was a promotion to the Brooklin Redmen of the Major Series Lacrosse league. But that was cut short thanks to his untimely death on Oct. 31, 2005 while training at Bellermine University in Kentucky where he was on a lacrosse scholarship.

For months, many questions surrounded the death of a young man who was full of life. Then came news that HCM was the culprit that deprived the lacrosse star of his future.

Since then his friends and family, including mother Sheila and brother Jordan have done their part of raise awareness with this tournament serving as the foundation of that work.

"It wasn't easy for Sheila, but she is such a driving force in this event," said Johnson. "She really deserves a lot of credit for all her efforts."

Games get started at 5 p.m. Friday at Civic Fields #4, where the field is divided into three planes where all six teams will see action.