Field lacrosse player Reece Callies is shooting for gold at this weekend's BC Summer Games, with a little help from his friends.

The 14-year-old midfielder is one of five Langley-based players on the Zone 3 field lacrosse team, joining Jake Taylor, Chase Fraser, Jesse Hamel, and Johnny Pearson.

The Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) squad formed from four sets of tryouts in Port Coquitlam. The five Langley boys missed the first two auditions because their bantam A1 box lacrosse team was at a tournament in Kamloops.

"Coach told us to come to [the last] two," Callies recalled. "All five of us showed up... and we played two games in two days, and we did skills and shooting, and they evaluated us and made the cuts on the Sunday."

Callies said the large contingent of local players is the result of effort combined with "a lot of practising." He credited his Langley Thunder U14 field lacrosse coach, Rob Van Beek, for helping him and the others in their progression.

Van Beek was a Western Lacrosse Association second team all-star last season with the Langley Thunder senior A box lacrosse squad.

"He really stepped our whole team up to the next level," Callies said. "He's a big influence on the team and I think he helped us quite a bit."

Callies is experiencing a Summer Games event for the first time.

"I'm just going to be myself, not be anything fancy, just try to be me," Callies said. "Just stay calm and do the best I can."

As for his local Zone 3 teammates, Callies had high praise. Here is his evaluation of each player:

- Jake Taylor - "He's a great kid and a great player, too. He'll always be the kid to bury the goal and do whatever it takes."

- Chase Fraser - "He's a great defender. He's our stone cold defence back there."

- Jesse Hamel - "Every time you get him the ball, he'll bury it. Every single time."

- Johnny Pearson - "He's an all around player. He'll score, he'll play defence, just whatever it is, he's there."

Callies said seeing familiar faces, players he has played with since the novice level, on the Zone 3 team, will enhance his Games experience.

"I love it, it's awesome," he said. "We all tried out and we all ended up making the team together, so it kind of shows that the whole Langley organization is putting a good effort in."

He also believes Zone 3 will gel quickly. Callies is familiar with the majority of the team through playing against them in both field and box lacrosse.

"I think the chemistry, and knowing how the players play, instead of starting fresh and meeting all the new faces, and just knowing everybody already definitely helps," he said.

The field lacrosse competition is being held at Willoughby Community Park.

tlandreville@langleyadvance.com