The summer heat is finally upon us and with it, we will all be beating a path outdoors to enjoy some fun in the sun.
Well, most of us will.
Vancouver Warriors Captain Matt Beers has just added more to his already overflowing plate of life. Beers, 29, was earlier this summer selected to represent Team Canada at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships being held in Langley from September 19-28. The father of two and firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department is already chock a block with several different projects, and now can add ‘Player for Team Canada’ to his checklist of things to do this summer. It is something that he is honoured to be a part of.
“When the Warriors season ended, I spoke with Dan (Vancouver Warriors GM Dan Richardson) about how I can put my name forward to be considered for Team Canada,” explained Beers. “Dan advised me that Team Canada was asking players to put forth their names for consideration, knowing that the Worlds would be a time commitment on top of what we are already doing. I put in my name, asked Canada to consider me, and I was lucky enough to be considered and selected for the team.”
Beers said that a Team Canada email that went out, he was included on it and found out along with many of his friends. “I play summer lacrosse with Robert Church (Teammates with the Burnaby Lakers – WLA) and we both found out together, which was great,” says Beers. “But I was just as excited to find out that I get to play with four other teammates that are from Coquitlam where I grew up playing. To play for your country with friends is pretty special.”
Donning the Red and White Colors for Canada will certainly be special for Beers and his family, who are thrilled that he will play in nearby Langley, just a short ten-minute commute from his home in Maple Ridge. But for Beers, more so than ever, he sees his schedule filling up and needs to prioritize as the World Championships approach.
“Between catching up on work at the fire hall, to playing summer lacrosse for Burnaby, to making sure I spend as much time with my family, (Beers is married to wife Jamie and has two children, Benjamin 2 and Ellie 9 months), making time for Team Canada is a commitment and I will be ready,” Beers professes. “But everything is centred around my family. I am making sure that I can spend as much quality time with them as well as making sure I can maintain my work obligations. The Burnaby Lakers have been great about being flexible with my time so it gives me every opportunity to do everything I can fit in to this summer. It’s a great problem to have.”
Matt Beers will be ready to go and is proud and humbled to be selected for Team Canada. Bringing home the gold will certainly be a feather in his cap. “Playing for Team Canada is certainly special, but winning Gold in Langley would be the ultimate bucket list item,” proclaims Beers. “I hope Langley can pack the LEC and we can bring it home.”
For more information and tickets to the event visit www.wilc2019.ca or click the links below.
Single Day Tickets
Full-Tournament Pass
4-Day Pass
2 Semi-Final Games
2 Final Games
