Lax Beat
By Stephen Stamp
Lax BeatOct 01, 2021
Launch of the National Lacrosse Association
Arthur Johnson and his cohort have a vision: a professional lacrosse league that provides opportunities to black, indigenous, hispanic and latino players. They are preparing for that vision to become a reality on July 16, when the National Lacrosse Association makes its debut in Philadelphia. LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp speaks with Arthur about the impetus for the NLA, how everything is coming together with the first game in league history fast approaching and what the future holds.
First up, news from the world of lacrosse including a look back at the National Lacrosse League division finals, ahead to the NLL Cup championship series, and across the nation/continent in the Cross Canada Checkup on summer box lacrosse, this week on LaxBeat.
Abby Hormes, NCAA goal record holder: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 31
When Abby Hormes of the High Point Panthers set the record for most goals scored in an NCAA Division 1 women's lacrosse season, the response was a fairly resounding meh. In fact, one year after the lax world celebrated Charlotte North setting the record with 102 goals, lax Twitter seemed to be jumping over itself to denigrate Hormes' feat of scoring 103. Hormes will readily admit that she and North are very different players, but they both faced challenges en route to scoring over a hundred times in a season and Hormes isn't about to apologize for breaking the record or where she plays, as USA Lacrosse Magazine's Beth Ann Mayer did a good job of articulating in an article. LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp caught up with Hormes from her home in Fallston, Maryland. Enjoy the conversation.
Dhane Smith's commitment to donate $50 for every goal the Buffalo Bandits score in Game 2 of the East Division final is discussed in this episode (as of recording at least three others had pledged to match the donation). Here is the link if you would like to make a donation to the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund through the National Compassion Fund web site.
Buffalo Bandit Ian MacKay - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 30
Ian MacKay said before his Buffalo Bandits played the Albany FireWolves in the National Lacrosse League East Division semifinal that the transition game would need to step up. MacKay put his money where his mouth was with a big transition goal as Buffalo won to advance to the East final against the Toronto Rock. MacKay joins host Stephen Stamp on LaxBeat to talk about the Bandits' great season, the playoff opening win and what they will need to do to advance to the league championship series in their best of three series against Toronto.
Also, we look back at the first round games and what to expect in the division finals, both the East series and the West final between the San Diego Seals and Colorado Mammoth, a snapshot of the Premier Lacrosse League college draft, and Canadian summer lacrosse finally starting what we hope will be a regular season after two years of no or adapted play because of the pandemic. All on LaxBeat.
SheBox - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 29
Five teams competed at the first women's edition of the annual European Box Lacrosse Invitational. The event is commonly called EBox, so the women's version has taken the nickname SheBox. The tournament was the first opportunity for women in Europe to play box lacrosse, which will have a women's world championship for the first time in 2024. This week on LaxBeat, host Stephen Stamp has conversations with five participants in the inaugural SheBox, which was universally acclaimed as a huge success.
Lizzie Bottrill is from England, where she has been part of the national development field lacrosse team, and was one of three English women to play for Prague Sports at SheBox.
Becky Moloney has been a goalie for Ireland's field team and is a driver of the sport in the nation. She played between the pipes for Team Eire, which was coached by Bellingham, Washington native and now Prague resident Garrett Goshorn at the tournament.
Mac MacDonough and Delaney Benson both grew up in California and have both been living in Israel, where they put enormous time and energy into coaching lacrosse. They'll both be representing Israel at international lacrosse championships this summer.
The five guests have diverse backgrounds, but they all agree that SheBox was a huge first step for lacrosse in Europe and was a seminal moment in the growth of the women's box game.
Lax Metrics Founder Cooper Perkins: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 28
Cooper Perkins is relatively new to box lacrosse, but the San Diego Seals play by play announcer loves the indoor version of the game he played outside growing up and he is diving deep. Perkins has created Lax Metrics, a web site where he analyzes existing box score information and has created interesting new statistics to provide a deeper analytical view of the players in the National Lacrosse League. Cooper joins host Stephen Stamp this week to share the genesis, the goals and the methods of Lax Metrics in a wide-ranging and interesting conversation that is sure to help even veteran box lacrosse folks gain a deeper understanding of the sport.
North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame: Season 9, Episode 27
Dan Ninham has founded the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame, announcing the inaugural class earlier this year. LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp talks with Dan about the genesis of the Hall and the heavily lacrosse-flavoured first class of inductees. Also, Frick's Thoughts with lacrosse lifer Ryan McMichael touches on dark horses for the NLL championship, Tracey Kelusky killing it in Panther City, how close is the rookie of the year race, and put some respect on Brett Dobson's name if you're going to talk about the top goalies in NCAA lacrosse.
Bonus materials:
First Nations drummers and dancers representing at the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four
Players Brett Logan and Gutch Salinas join smoke dancers during pregame of OLA Jr B playoffs
Kellen LeClair, Back in the NLL: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 26
After a strong rookie season in the National Lacrosse League, Kellen LeClair had to stop playing professional lacrosse because of a heart issue that he thought would keep him out of the game forever. But after a surprising improvement in his condition, LeClair is back and grateful to have rejoined the Calgary Roughnecks and returned to the game he's played since he was three. Hear his story of why he had to stop playing, the passion he found to replace lacrosse, and how excited he is to be back in the NLL and--what a bonus--playing with his little brother.
Midseason Awards Reflections with Brian Shanahan: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 25
We passed the midway point of the 2021 National Lacrosse League season with the 63rd of 126 games being played, so it's a perfect time to welcome Brian Shanahan to LaxBeat to talk surprises, developments and our midseason award winners.
Tyler Garrison Back in the NLL: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 24
Tyler Garrison was a high pick, 11th overall, in the 2012 National Lacrosse League entry draft and still managed to outperform his draft slot in his first two seasons in the league, establishing himself as one of the top defence/transition players in the game. Then a series of injuries led him to focus on furthering his education instead of playing. Now he's healthy again and, at almost 30, he's back in the league and looking like he's ready to be an impact player again, this time with the San Diego Seals.
Catch up with Garrison as he joins host Stephen Stamp for an in-depth conversation about his journey in the game, plus hear the news of the week in the world of lacrosse.
Birth of the NABLL - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 23
The North American Box Lacrosse League is a new operation that is arising to fill the void left by the apparent demise of the IBLA, which is reconstituting into a new form. This week, LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp is joined by David Mather and Tim Semisch, two members of the committee elected to shepherd in the formation of the NABLL. They talk about their vision for the league and for the game, the challenges of making the new league work and the excitement that players and teams have to get the NABLL started this summer.
Also, news from the world of lacrosse including the TLL/OLA law suit, college lacrosse getting started, the PLL announcing locales for this summer, the ALL East getting under way, and some of the players making waves as the NLL nears the one-third mark of its season.
Check out the NABLL on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CX3x4vghPpR/
Nick Rose Becomes Orangeville GM - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 22
Nick Rose was the logical choice to move up to GM of the Jr A Orangeville Northmen after Bruce Codd stepped down from his role as GM and Head Coach. Rose joins host Stephen Stamp to talk about the Northmen family and his new position with one of the flagship franchises in the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League.
Also, news from the lacrosse world looking at the 2023 world field championships in San Diego, the lacrosse calendar for 2022 and the Toronto Beaches suspension is rescinded in the OJLL. Remember to check out Lacrosse Link as well for your link to all think lacrosse.
Ryan Benesch Joins the FireWolves: LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 21 with Ryan Benesch and Glenn Clark
Ryan Benesch has now been with nine National Lacrosse League teams. Benesch joins host Stephen Stamp to talk about his latest career move, what he can bring to the FireWolves, who strings his sticks and more. Also, FireWolves GM and Head Coach Glenn Clark comes on to talk about why he wanted to bring Benesch to Albany and how the team is preparing to return to its former winning ways, after finishing on top of the NLL in the last season to be played but dropping their first two games of the 2021/22 season.
In the news section: Covid impacting the NLL but games getting back underway, Every Child Matters at NLL games, Tucker Out Lymphoma Night in Buffalo, Kevin J Johnston is a fugitive, the launch of the All World Box Lacrosse Academy and the Toronto Beaches appeal of their OJLL suspension.
NLL Fantasy Draft with the Lacrosse Link Team - Season 9, Episode 20
Lacrosse Link family members Stephen Stamp (also the host of LaxBeat), Randy Trobak and Chris Lesanko conduct Lacrosse Link's first annual NLL Fantasy Draft.
TLC in the TLL; Jason Shuttleworth and Reid Acton, LaxBeat Season 9 Episode 19
The Tewaaraton Lacrosse League and the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League butted heads this summer when the TLL announced they planned to launch their new league. The TLL didn't wind up taking place this year and even their planned combine for NLL prospects fell through, the latter in large part because the Ontario Lacrosse Association (of which the OJLL is part) threatened to suspend any players who took part in the TLL in any way for this year and next year. Jason Shuttleworth is the operating owner of the OJLL's Toronto Beaches and now the owner of the expansion Toronto Lacrosse Club in the TLL. How will it work to be involved in both leagues, what made Shuttleworth come around from being an opponent of the TLL's proposed league to an owner, and what does the future of lacrosse in Toronto look like?
We tackle all of that and more with Shuttleworth as well as Beaches coach and Beast Athletics owner Reid Acton, this week on LaxBeat. It's a start towards conversations that need to happen in the lacrosse world.
Speaking of the lacrosse world, LaxBeat opens with a news section looking at NLL preseason, Baggataway Cup, IIJL World U15 and U17 championships and more.
Baggataway Cup Preview - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 18
The Baggataway Cup is the championship of the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association. It's being held November 5-7 at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario. This week on LaxBeat, host Stephen Stamp is joined by Guelph Gryphons midfielder Mitch Ogilvie and Nipissing Lakers defender Quinn Harding. Also on the show is Emily VanDamme, goaltender for the Trent Excalibur who just won the Ontario University Athletics women's lacrosse championship for the second straight season and third time in VanDamme's Trent career. This one was unlike the others, though, because Trent had lost to Queen's four times in the regular season then had to face the mighty Gaels again in the gold medal game.
You can watch the Baggataway Cup games live on Lacrosse Sports Network with Stamp on the play by play call alongside colour commentator Ryan McMichael. Get more info on CUFLA and the Baggataway, including the full schedule of games, on the CUFLA web site.
Official Lax Girl Tari Kandemiri - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 17
Tari Kandemiri is a renaissance woman in lacrosse. She started her journey as the Official Lax Girl on Twitter in high school and has broadened her scope and her influence in the sport continually since then. She hosts a pair of podcasts, she's a play by play and colour announcer including for the recent Super Sixes event in Maryland, and in her spare time from all that plus her full-time job, Tari has launched a beauty app called Hama that helps folks find the right products for what their skin needs. We're fortunate to have gotten some of her time for a great episode of LaxBeat with host Stephen Stamp. LaxBeat is a proud part of the Lacrosse Link family; remember to check out all the episodes of the show at this link.
Lacrosse in Asia - LaxBeat Season 9, Episode 16
Host Stephen Stamp is joined by key figures from four members of the Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union representing Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Interesting discussions about the growth of the game at the youth and adult levels, recruiting and developing coaches and officials, and the future of the sport in the Asia Pacific region. This is Season 9, Episode 16 of LaxBeat, the podcast formerly known as Boxla Beat, part of the Lacrosse Link family.
Check out the Lacrosse Link video show on YouTube and, starting this week, on Lacrosse Sports Network Thursday at 9:30 pm and repeating through the week.
Sixes - LaxBeat, Season 9, Episode 15
The Sixes discipline is new to lacrosse, but it's gaining traction in the bid to be included in the Olympic Games. This week, LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp is joined by World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr and by Colombian coach and player, respectively, Javier Silva and Oscar Cifuentes. They talk about the adoption and development of Sixes, the recent Pan American Lacrosse Association sixes tournament, and what's coming down the road in the discipline. LaxBeat is part of the Lacrosse Link family, your link to all things lacrosse.
Andrew Suitor retires from the NLL
Andrew Suitor was one of the toughest players in the National Lacrosse League, one of the best teammates, and one of the best people. Now he has retired. Suitor joins host Stephen Stamp to talk about memorable moments in his career, his approach to being a teammate and friend, and the time he shaved half his beard off--vertically--after winning the Mann Cup.
John Lintz on What the RMLL Needs to Do
John Lintz is a National Lacrosse League defender and coach of the St. Albert Miners in the Rocky Mountain Jr A Lacrosse League. He wants players in the league to get more visibility so that NLL teams will know them better and hopefully they can be selected higher in the NLL draft. There are lots of things that would go into making that happen, and Lintz is hoping that he and other folks in the RMLL can do what's necessary to help promote their players. Lintz speaks with LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp, who also touches on some of the news of the week in the world of lacrosse.
LaxBeat: Rochester Knighthawks Goalie Evan Kirk
Evan Kirk has won an NLL Cup and been the league's goalie of the year. Now he has signed as a free agent with the Rochester Knighthawks, who have played only one partial season so far. Kirk joins LaxBeat host Stephen Stamp to talk about the journey that led him to sign with Rochester, the challenges that face all teams and players heading towards the 2021/22 season as we come out of the pandemic, mentoring younger goalies to give back after he was mentored, his and his father's commitment to raising funds for the Terry Fox Run and how it will probably be far more comfortable practicing in the Brampton Memorial Arena in the winter than it was when he played in it during the summer.
LaxBeat - NLL Draft Preview with Adam Charalambides and Jake Harrington
Adam Charalambides has been touted as a potential high pick in his NLL Draft for years. Jake Harrington is from a D3 field lacrosse program and hasn't been able to head north of the border to play Canadian summer box lacrosse as he'd hoped for the last two years because of the pandemic. That means he isn't well known. Both are tremendous athletes. Both are looking to see their dreams come true on Saturday August 28 when the National Lacrosse League holds its annual entry draft. And both are on LaxBeat for interesting conversations with host Stephen Stamp as the prepare for one of the biggest nights of their young lives.
Check out more NLL Draft coverage on LacrosseLink.com (where you can find Stamper's mock draft with guest and expert prospect analyst Brad MacArthur) and ILIndoor.com, where Stamper's Top 50 introduces you to the hottest prospects for the draft.
LaxBeat - Brian Shanahan, the iconic Mann/Stanley Cup photo and life in lacrosse broadcasting
Brian Shanahan got into the lacrosse media business almost by accident, but since his serendipitous entry he has become one of the leading figures in the field. This week on LaxBeat he shares with host Stephen Stamp stories about the World Junior Lacrosse Championship they just called in Winnipeg, the sports talk show trivia quiz call that wound up being instrumental to his announcing career, the photo of Shanny with his brother Brendan while they held the Mann Cup and Stanley Cup, respectively, that they had both won that year and more from a career in lacrosse broadcasting.
Dempsey Arsenault on LaxBeat (Formerly Boxla Beat)
Dempsey Arsenault is one of the leading stars in women's lacrosse. From her days at Boston College to playing with the US national team to now being a captain twice in the first three weeks of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse, Arsenault is a leader, a great talent, and also one of the nicest people you'd care to meet. She joins host Stephen Stamp on LaxBeat to talk about the new AU league and its rather unusual stats system, draft strategies in the league where new teams are formed each week, the bumps and bruises the women are getting as they play an intense style of lacrosse, the US national team Sixes camp and how players are adjusting to that format, plus her roots in New Hampshire and how beautiful the region is in the fall. It's a wide-ranging and interesting conversation this week on LaxBeat.
Lax Beat (Formerly Boxla Beat) Season 9, Episode 8: Austrian Star Adrian Balasch in Australia
Adrian Balasch is putting the "al" in Austria. The alternate captain for Austria's national team was selected the all-star team transition player at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in Langley. Now he's gone down under, spending the last year and a half in Adelaide Australia. This week on Lax Beat, host Stephen Stamp talks to Balasch about the growth of the game in Austria and across Europe, adventures in Adelaide, how the flow for which he's known came to be and much more. It's a great conversation with one of the good guys in the world of lacrosse.
Also, news about the OJLL and MSL starting to play, the NLL announcing a prospect showcase for potential draft picks and more. Plus we tease next week's show, which will feature a prominent Athletes Unlimited lacrosse star who got the LaxBeat bump this week before she's even appeared on the show.
Please subscribe to LaxBeat to make sure you never miss an episode.
Lax Beat (Formerly Boxla Beat) Season 9, Episode 7: MSL Classic with League Commissioner Doug Luey
Boxla Beat has a new name! To reflect the broader perspective the show is taking to include all forms of lacrosse, the show will now be called Lax Beat. It still features the same great conversations with host and leading lacrosse analyst Stephen Stamp joined by a who's who of movers and shakers in the game of lacrosse.
Major Series Lacrosse announced in the morning that five of their teams will be playing an 8-game season, and in the afternoon MSL Commissioner Doug Luey joined Stamp to talk about how the league put what they're calling the MSL Classic together, the rules adaptations they're going to try out, what managing to have a season means to the league's players and much more.
Boxla Beat Season 9, Episode 6: Kenya Lacrosse with Storm Trentham & Ashlee Aitken
When Kenya sent a team to the World Lacrosse U19 women's world championship in Peterborough, Ontario in 2019, it was the first time an African team had gone to a lacrosse worlds. And it was no easy feat getting the team there. Obstacles abound in Kenya, where many of the players face hurdles stemming from poverty and other issues in the nation. A recently released documentary film, Sleeping Warrior, looks at the journey of Kenya's team to Peterborough.
Storm Trentham, a former Welsh international player and a coach at many levels, helped Kenya Lacrosse overcome the hurdles and get that team to Peterborough, where they enjoyed success beyond what you'd probably expect from a new team the majority of whose players didn't even have shoes when they arrived at tryout camps.
Now Ashlee Aitken is on board with helping Kenya lacrosse as well. Aitken wound up as the team's local liaison at the worlds through a bit of serendipity and she fell in love with the girls comprising the team.
Trentham and Aitken join host Stephen Stamp to talk about the documentary, the hurdles, the journey and next steps for Kenya Lacrosse in an enlightening, riveting and at times challenging episode of Boxla Beat on Lacrosse Link.
Notes: to learn more about Kenya Lacrosse and/or if you'd like to donate or help in any way, you can go to their website.
You can watch Sleeping Warrior on the World Lacrosse Facebook page.
Boxla Beat Season 9, Episode 5: Bob New York Riptide Forward Callum Crawford
Callum Crawford has just gotten better and more productive in his 30s, defying the traditional trajectory of most professional lacrosse careers. Now he's ready to get back to it after leading the National Lacrosse League in scoring when teams were last able to play back in 2020. Crawford joins host Stephen Stamp to talk aging like a fine wine, helping a new team try to climb to championship heights and his pride in the success of players from the Ottawa region he grew up in.
Boxla Beat Season 9, Episode 4: Bob Hamley and Tracey Kelusky, Panther City Lacrosse Club
Panther City Lacrosse Club held its National Lacrosse League expansion draft in Forth Worth on Tuesday, June 29. About 16 hours after they wrapped up, I was on the line with General Manager Bob Hamley and Head Coach Tracey Kelusky, talking about what went into the process of building a new team from scratch.
We talk about how the staff came to consensus on the players they picked, the trades PCLC made, what they want the team to look like and what's next. Enjoy the conversation on Boxla Beat, part of the Lacrosse Link family.
Boxla Beat Season 9, Episode 3: Terry Foy, CEO of Inside Lacrosse
Host Stephen Stamp welcomes Inside Lacrosse CEO Terry Foy for a discussion of the Las Vegas NLL expansion team and the impact the star-studded ownership group including Wayne Gretzky, Dustin Johnson and Steve Nash will have on not only the team but the league as a whole. They also talk about how Inside Lacrosse has addressed the challenges presented by the pandemic, how it's coming back strong and what it can take from the adaptations that had to be made as we progress towards a post-pandemic world.
Boxla Beat, Season 9, Episode 2: Randy Staats
Host Stephen Stamp and his guest Randy Staats have a broad-ranging conversation that touches on NLL's celebration of Indigenous History Month, residential schools in Canada, the Iroquois Nationals' inclusion in the World Games and the process that went into that as well as the ongoing challenge to get lacrosse and the Nationals' into the Olympics, Turtle Island Lacrosse, the Six Nations Jr A team, overcoming knee injuries and more.
Boxla Beat, Season 9, Episode 1: Dan Carey and the Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League
Boxla Beat is back. After a pandemic-driven hiatus, we're back for season nine of the best of lacrosse podcasting. First up, host Stephen Stamp discusses the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame class of 2021. Then, a conversation with Rochester Knighthawks General Manager Dan Carey about the Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League, which the Knighthawks and Buffalo Bandits have worked together to create and which is launching to give college age players, particularly collegiate field players, a chance to work on their box game. Carey and the other folks involved in the creation of the UCBLL are excited for what the league will do for field players trying to break into the box game, for National Lacrosse League teams who are looking to tap into the vast potential of American field players for the pro box game, and also for how it will help collegiate players bring something more to their outdoor game.
Boxla Beat Is Back
Boxla Beat ran for eight years and now, after a bit of a pandemic hiatus, it's coming back to the airwaves. We're branching out a bit...Boxla Beat won't just be about box lacrosse anymore. Host Stephen Stamp will be bringing you the news, looking behind the scenes and talking to leading figures in box, field, men's, women's, from the hotbed of Canada and around the lacrosse world.
Boxla Beat will be part of the Lacrosse Link family. You can find episodes at LacrosseLink.com.
If you have something you'd like to see covered on Boxla Beat, feel free to reach out at stamplax@hotmail.com.