As members of rival Tri-City BCJALL teams, Thomas Semple and Ryland Rees are accustomed to battling each other on the lacrosse floor.
But when the pair take the field this week during the 2016 FIL U19 Men’s World Field Lacrosse Championships, they will both be donning Team Canada’s colours.
“I was so humbled to get this opportunity to represent my country,” said Semple, a 17-year-old Centennial secondary student who has scored 27 goals and 14 assists in nine games with the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs this season. “It makes me so excited and happy.”
“It is really good,” added 19-year-old Rees, who usually plays with the Port Coquitlam Saints in the BCJALL and New York’s Stony Brook University in the NCAA. “It is going to be a different experience.”
Making the championships even sweeter is the fact that the tournament will be held at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park.
The location not only saves the players money on expensive flights and accommodations, it also gives them a home field advantage that few on the roster, which is mostly made up of Ontario players, will have.
Both players said they expect the stands to be filled with friends, family and fans from their club teams.
“It’s a short drive for everyone,” said Rees. “All of my friends and family are close and they’ll be there.”
While two years apart, Rees and Semple have similar lacrosse backgrounds. Both have played in national tournaments with Team BC and both will wear Team Canada’s Maple Leaf for the first time this week.
The pair was chosen for the team following a selection camp in Florida last winter, where they scrimmaged against Team USA, who have won the last seven quadrennial world championships dating back to 1988.
Canada won the scrimmage 11-10 in overtime, but Semple is quick to point out that the rosters will be different heading into the week. He said he expects the skill level to be tough against some of the international competition, but believes the home team has the horses to knock the U.S. off its perch.
“They have been the frontrunners,” Semple said. “Obviously, I think we have a good team this year and we have done what we have to do.”
Just making the Team Canada roster is a major accomplishment for a young athlete.
More than 200 people submitted tryout applications last year, a list that was reduced to 24 following the selection camp and exhibition match.
“We tried to select the best team possible,” said head coach Taylor Wray. “This process is very different from simply choosing an all-star team. There are certainly all-star caliber players that were not selected and that speaks to the depth of talent our country has been able to produce.”
Canada has won silver in six of the seven world championships and are making a strong push to top the podium in 2016. To win gold they will not only have to defeat the U.S., but tournament newcomers like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Colombia, Ireland and Israel, along with mainstays the Iroquois, Finland, Australia, England and Germany.
The tournament kicked off Thursday night (after The Tri-City News’ deadline) and will continue until July 16, with matches taking place at Percy Perry and on a second field nearby. Canada will take on England on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. followed by a match against the Iroquoois Nationals on Sunday, also at 7:30 p.m.
For up-to-date standings and a full tournament schedule, go to 2016filwlc.stats.pointstreak.com
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