In the lacrosse world, there’s six degrees of separation with players around the league often having crossed paths before they made it to the professional ranks. They’ve either faced off against each other or gone into battle together, the latter making their chemistry instantaneous when they reunite on the floor.
The coaching staff has a lengthy history together (read article here) and Head Coach and General Manager Curt Malawsky has also coached many of his current players as youngsters.
Malawsky coached defencemen Matt Beers, Jeff Cornwall and forward Riley Loewen to a Minto Cup with the Coquitlam Adanacs. Loewen was traded from Burnaby to a tight-knit Coquitlam team in his last year of Junior.
“It’s kind of cool how it has all come full circle, playing together 15 years later,” Loewen said.
“I was only on the team in Coquitlam for about two months, but a lot of the guys on that team are still my best friends today and Beersy and I are pretty close. Winning a championship together sets that bond for life.”
Defenceman Brayden Laity was first coached by Malawsky in Pee Wee lacrosse, and Laity says Malawsky has had the same expectations of his player’s compete from Pee Wee to the pros. It made it easy for Laity to know what he needed to do when he suited up for Vancouver.
The second-year NLL defenceman learned a lot from Malawsky as a youngster and having him as a coach developed Laity’s IQ and understanding of the game.
“I credit a lot of my lacrosse success to Curt,” Laity said. “Nothing has changed from when we were Pee Wee to the NLL. He keeps the same compete level at all levels and I think that’s what makes him the best of the best.”
Jeff Cornwall has coached a couple of young Warriors defencemen in Junior ball. Cornwall coached Laity over the last four years with the Port Coquitlam Saints and previously coached Remo Schenato with the Coquitlam Adanacs. Cornwall has coached a handful of players that he’s gone on to play with or against in his career, but Laity and Schenato are the only two players he will play with that he’s coached at the Junior A level.
Forward Ryan Martel and defenceman Tyson Kirkness played four years of Junior A for the Langley Thunder, also playing with forward Dylan McIntosh for part of those four years.
Martel says it is fun to play in the NLL with guys you played with in junior and making the jump to the professional level isn’t as jarring if there are a couple of familiar faces on your team.
“Going through junior, your goal is to get to that next step in the NLL, and to have that success shared with your teammates is a cool feeling,” Martel said “I think in your first couple years in the NLL can be a little overwhelming getting settled and adjusting to new teammates and systems so it can also be a calming presence having guys you grew up to play with.”
There’s shared respect for their abilities, and they don’t feel like they have to prove anything to each other but just work hard and be consistent players in the NLL. Kirkness said Martel was an outstanding teammate who has always had a natural scoring touch. The two have had their disagreements on the floor but keeping each other honest has built a foundation of trust.
“If there is a guy I could learn some moves on a breakaway or in tight in transition, he is for sure the guy I go to,” Kirkness said. “We carpool a ton to and from the arena because we are both valley guys. We get to talk about the team, our play, and things we can do better individually.”
In Kirkness’ last year of Junior, he was traded to Coquitlam and played in the 2018 Minto Cup with defenceman Reid Bowering.
Warriors’ captain and defenceman Brett Mydske and forward Kevin Crowley have played together since their Mini Tyke days in New Westminster and are best friends. Playing different positions, but Mysdke says they’ve been able to push each other in their lacrosse journeys.
“We go way back, so we know what drives one another. We’ve known each other since we were five years old, so you’re definitely closer when you are childhood friends,” Mydske said.
The veterans have honest conversations about what they need to work on individually and how they can help guide the younger players on the team. Mydske and Crowley are the eldest on the Warriors’ roster and Mydske laughed that they each have someone who understands what their bodies go through at this age in the NLL.
In Ontario, Payton Cormier and Johnathan Peshko both started playing lacrosse in the Baby Peanut (U4) age group and played Mimico together every other year in minor lacrosse. Cormier and Jackson Suboch played for the Junior A Mountaineers from 2016-2017 and Peshko got one year in with Suboch as well.
“Me and Pesh definitely go way back and we’re good friends,” Cormier said. “It’s good we’re on the same team again, because the last four times we’ve been on the field together it’s been University of Viriginia versus Johns Hopkins University instead of together on the same team.”
They know each other’s games and are supporting each other through their rookie NLL seasons, Cormier admires a lot about his childhood teammate.
“Peshko’s a good teammate and a big body, being able to move guys around. He’s got a high IQ, understands the game, and is an easy person to play with for sure,” Cormier said.
Playing minor or junior lacrosse before reaching the professional ranks has shaped the bonds of the players and coaching staff that step foot on the floor together with the Warriors.
There’s instant rapport and understanding which gives players confidence at the next level. Having that in place helps create a culture of players who battle for each other and that’s what the Warriors are looking forward to this season.
