LIKE IT OR NOT, TEAM CANADA IS PERTH FAVOURITE
By Ted Montour
June 29, 2002 - Four years ago in Baltimore, Canada came from 11 - 1 down early in the third period, to tie Team USA at the end of four quarters of a World Championship final often called the greatest game ever played. While most observers anticipate the same match-up in the final next month in Perth, Western Australia, there seems to be considerably more debate about the outcome this time around. Everyone claims to be the underdog. Will the real front-runner please stand up?
On the news that Major League Lacrosse players could not participate without serious penalty, most agreed that Team USA would be measurably weakened, but recent developments in the MLL have had a serious impact on the Canadian squad as well. While it had been no secret that star attacker Tom Marachek, a veteran of the 1990, 1994 and 1998 teams, would not be wearing the Maple Leaf jersey, opting instead to ply his trade for the MLL's Baltimore Bayhawks, the recent trade that sent Gary Gait to Baltimore to be player / coach, and his announcement that he would not be going to Australia, was a surprise to the Canadian team. "Gary was the last player … that I thought this would happen to …", said Canadian head coach Frank Nielsen. "We didn't expect this at all …". Coach Neilsen and the Team Canada management team were notified by Gary little more than a month ago, soon after the Bayhawks' deal was announced. According to Nielsen's understanding, in addition to his post as player / coach, Gary will have a year-round deal in conjunction with the Bayhawks and Toyota, based on his long and prosperous association with the Team Toyota field lacrosse club. Gait had also announced, at about the same time, that he had resigned from the coaching staff of the University of Maryland women's team after being controversially passed over for the Terrapin Men's head coaching position before the 2002 season began. Irony abounds, as Gait coaches what very well may be the world's best Men's team.
The World Games is Paul Gait's last tournamentCoach Nielsen also said that, as far as he was concerned, Team USA was still the favourite going into the World Championships, with a "dog-fight for second" place between Canada and Australia. He cautioned that it would be a mistake for anyone to discount the host side, mentioning the recent example of Korea's startling success in the World Cup of soccer. With over 500,000 field lacrosse players in the U.S., compared to 30,000 box lacrosse players, and maybe 4,000 true field players, in Canada, one of the main preoccupations of Team Canada is "learning how to play field lacrosse again".
Paul GaitLast summer a number of Canadian box lacrosse stars chose to take the MLL's money over the Canadian semi-pro pay of Major Series box lacrosse. A few essential members of that group passed on the U.S. pro field season this year to play for their country. Most notably, John Grant and Tracy Kelusky signed with last year's Mann Cup winners, the Coquitlam Adanacs of the British Columbia's Western Lacrosse Association in lieu of the MLL and its World Games ban. All of Team Canada's players are experienced senior and / or NLL pro indoor veterans.
John Grant
1998 All-World goalkeeper Chris Sanderson will start, with back-up from B.C. veteran Jeff Gombar. Pat Coyle, Steve Toll and Tom Phair, playing in his fourth World Championships, will likely start on defence, with Andrew Martin, Neil Doddridge and Cam Woods in reserve. In the midfield, expect to see potent lines with veteran John Tavares, along with Tracey Kelusky and Gavin Prout, backed up by Matt Dwane, Chris Langdale, Pat Maddalena, Derek Malawsky, Chris Seller, Dan Stroup and Shawn Williams. On attack, the Canadian starters will be led by Paul Gait, John Grant Jr. and Matt Shearer, with able support from Chris Gill and D'arcy Sweet. While the Alternates list includes such notables as Mike Acursi, Rodney Tapp and Kaleb Toth, none of them will be making the trip."Ball control is critical" to Coach Nielsen's game plan. With Tapp out of the line-up, several National Lacrosse League face-off specialists, Coyle, Phair, and Toll, will be handling the draws, and speedsters like Dwane and Sweet will be coming off the line, as members of a "face-off unit" deployed to gain possession of the ball.
Chris SandersonWith some first-class fire power on the attack and at midfield (no long-pole middies on this squad), the Canadians will have to work at injecting some patience into their offence. Canadian box lacrosse players grow up with a 30-second shot clock in their heads, and it is very hard to turn that off, in order to sustain possession for a matter of minutes before launching an attack on goal. The idea will be to take possession of the ball off of face-offs and establish a half-field game.
John Tavares
As a last-minute tune-up, Team Canada will be playing two exhibition games Down Under, before the tournament starts. An Australian under-19 All Star side, and the Wembley field lacrosse club, will be the opposition. These two 'friendlies' will provide Coach Nielsen and his staff some valuable time to assess combinations and tactics before the tournament begins July 6. Nielsen is assisted in the national effort by General Manager Larry Dean, Assistant Coaches David Huntley and Ed Comeau, and Special Advisors Mike French, Doug Deschner and Tim Dwane. There is no doubt that Team Canada will miss the experience, leadership and offence of Gary Gait and Tom Marachek. Whether the younger Canadian stars can fill their massive shoes is something we'll all know with a certainty in a few weeks time. I expect that Frank Nielsen's prediction about a dog-fight is correct. But, in my humble opinion, it will be much more of a three-way battle with, perhaps, another classic final under the winter skies of Oz.
Photos by John Strohsacker and Bill Welch
RELATED LINKS
WORLD GAMES 2002 SITE
International Lacrosse Federation
Abbotsford Lacrosse, CA
Brampton Excelsiors
British Columbia Lacrosse Archives (CAN)
British Columbia Field Lacrosse
British Columbia Field Lacrosse Officials Association (CAN)
Brookfield HS Blues - Ottawa, Ontario
Brooklin Redmen
Canadian Lacrosse Association
Canadian Women's Lacrosse
Calgary Masters Lacrosse LeagueCarleton University
Matt Shearer
E.G. Redbirds
"FastBreak" - the official web site of the Ontario Lacrosse Association
Fergus Minor Lacrosse
Green Gaels Junior B
Nepean Knights
Niagara Falls Gamblers Lacrosse Club
Ontario Lacrosse Association (the unofficial page)
OUFLA - Ontario University Field Lacrosse Assoc.
The Ottawa Lacrosse Club (CAN)
The Ottawa Lacrosse Club (Men's)
SLAM LACROSSE, Canada
Lacrosse Manitoba (CAN)
London Blue Devils
Mimico mountaineers, Toronto Club dates back to the 1890's
OLA Senior Lacrosse
Toronto LC
The Toronto Masters Lacrosse League (TMLL)
Vancouver Island Box Lacrosse
Whitby Warriors Junior "A" Lacrosse
York University Lacrosse
E-Lacrosse welcomes Cascade as a World Games Coverage Sponsor
Goal:
Chris Sanderson
Jeff Gombar
Defence:
Pat Coyle
Neil Doddridge
Andrew Martin
Tom Phair
Steve Toll
Cam Woods
Midfield:
Matt Dwane
Tracey Kelusky
Chris Langdale
Derek Malawsky
Gavin Prout
Chris Seller
Dan Stroup
John Tavares
Shawn Williams
Attack:
Paul Gait
Chris Gill
John Grant Jr.
Matt Shearer
D'arcy Sweet
PAUL GAIT'S LAST STAND
E-Lacrosse is proud to
be an Official Sponsor of
the 2002 World Games
Head Coach:
Frank Nielsen
Assistant Coaches:
David Huntley
Ed Comeau
General Manager:
Larry Dean
Special Advisors:
Mike French
Doug Deschner
Tim Dwane
Training Staff:
Heather Griffiths
Dave Murray
Terry Rayner
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