Technically speaking, Laurentian University does not have a varsity field lacrosse team.
Because the crew representing the blue and gold compete within Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association, the teams do not contend for a Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship.
Don't be surprised, however, if the Laurentian men are not about to get too bogged down with technicalities. Not after moving their program forward in leaps and bounds this fall, posting a 6-6 record that absolutely blew away any previous semblance of competitiveness against schools with rich and storied histories in field lacrosse.
"We take a lot of pride in being a hard-working team, and that's what we have to do in order to win games," said long-pole defender Cameron Genge.
In many ways, the 21-year-old from Sutton could well be a poster child of the type of resourcefulness that Laurentian staff and players must undertake in their climb to match up with the provincial elite.
A hockey player most of his life — he actually suited up with the LU hockey team for the second half of the 2013-2014 campaign — Genge was first introduced to field lacrosse in high school, wandering over to practise with some of his friends on the Sutton District High School team when he didn't have a coach to work with in the high jump.
"I've learned all of my field lacrosse, basically, here at Laurentian with coach (Derrick) Gordon," said Genge.
Thankfully, some natural athleticism provided a base.
"As far as positioning and everything goes, basketball is probably the closest related sport," Genge continued. "They are very similar with screening and rolling, and defensive positioning."
At the core of the Voyageurs' defence, however, greater experience with field lacrosse would come in handy.
Enter goaltender Ian Walters, a teammate of Genge's back home in Sutton, but one with a drastically different background in the sport.
"I started with field lacrosse when I was seven, played it my whole life basically, mostly in Newmarket," Walters explained. "My cousins were into field lacrosse and box lacrosse."
Ironically, while Walters has been a field lacrosse goalie almost since Day 1, his summers are now spent as a player (not a goalie) when he takes to the box lacrosse game for a few months.
"The goalies in box are huge, significantly different than field," he noted. "In field, goalies are more athletic, making wider saves. In box, they often pick someone to fill the net."
Armed with much less protection than their box lacrosse brethren, the ball-stoppers in field lacrosse are battered and bruised just a few weeks into the season. "I've been aching the past few weeks, but I just love playing goalie," acknowledged Walters.
"I couldn't imagine playing a different position. I love getting the ball shot at me."
Simply no accounting for sanity in this group. There is, however, no shortage of heart and desire.
"We were expecting to be better, but I don't think any of us expected us to have the kinds of games that we've been having right now," added Walters. "Going 11-8 with Brock is huge. This club has definitely never seen a score like that with a team like Brock."
"The majority of this team have played together for at least three years," stated Gordon, the man who now runs practices regularly. "The systems, everyone knows them now."
For a team that had grown accustomed to posting two, maybe three wins a year, the progression in the fall of 2014 was noteworthy. And while their post-season hopes came to a halt with a tough 9-6 loss last weekend at the hands of the Western Mustangs, the future of the still-young program remains bright.
"We're raising the bar for ourselves to get better every game," said Genge. "Everyone is committed to winning."
