championships like faceoffs, long poles and goaltending. “In my mind, that growth is never going to stop,” Mearns said.
Grant is not the only American citizen on the Canadian roster. Dillon Roy and David Earl both were
in the original Team USA tryout pool and born in the U.S., further blurring the border lines with their Canadian ancestry. That makes a guy like Grant, who
knows the history and grew up with Canada’s 1978 championship plaque sitting in his home, even more important. While Grant can still light it up —
his 91 points tied for fourth in the National Lacrosse League this winter — the perspective he brings is equally essential. “He’s a down-to-earth guy,” Mearns
said. “He’s such a good influence on the players on and off the field. We’re going to lean on him from a leadership standpoint, but he’s still a presence out there when we need him to be. He’s still one of the best players in the world.” Grant said he’ll keep playing as long
At 39 years old, John Grant Jr. shows no signs of slowing down and will be a key member of Team Canada.
BLUE BATTLES
Iroquois, Australia, England, Japan fill rest of the world’s top division
In the 11 times a world men’s lacrosse championship has been contested, the United States has won nine of them, with Canada taking the other two. It’s been tough going for rest of the world. The Iroquois Nationals have never finished better than fourth, but
this year’s edition, perhaps its best field team ever, could give a serious challenge to the two favorites. It is the Iroquois’ first competition in eight years after missing the 2010 games in England over a passport controversy. The Iroquois under-19 team took bronze at the 2012 FIL U19 World Championship, beating the U.S. in round-robin play along the way. This year’s squad could feature co-Tewaaraton Award winners Lyle and Miles Thompson, their older brothers Jeremy and Jerome, and cousin Ty. Australia, England and Japan also will compete in the top division. Australia has finished third seven times and second four times, with the last silver medal coming in 1994. Defenseman Callum Robinson, a native of Sorrento, Western Australia, was a second-team All-American as sophomore at Division III power Stevenson this year. England finished second in 1974, but has never finished higher than fourth since. Attackman Colin Clive graduated from Siena this year as one of the most decorated players at his position in program history. Defenseman Jak Wawrzyniak has experience playing stateside at Providence and Stony Brook. Japan placed fourth in 2010, its best result in five world championship appearances. Blue Division play starts opening night July 10 when the U.S. faces Canada
on ESPNU. After six days of round-robin play, the top two teams get byes to the semifinals, and the top four to the quarterfinals. The top finishers in each of the eight other divisions also will have a chance to advance to the quarterfinals. The championship game is set for July 19 on ESPNU. — C.M.
A Publication of US Lacrosse
Former Siena attackman Colin Clive will play for England.
July 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 59
as teams will have him. Right now in the pro game, he’s a member of the NLL’s Colorado Mammoth and MLL’s Denver
Outlaws and continues to play indoor Canadian ball in his spare time. He’s already logged a longer career
than his father, John Grant Sr., who starred for the Philadelphia Wings and Team Canada in that 1978 victory. Back when he was a little kid running
through the Canadian dorms, Junior never imagined a full-time lacrosse career as an option. His old man drove a Coca-Cola truck for 20 years in the offseason. Meanwhile, he has been able to make a living solely by playing lacrosse since Bill Clinton was in office. Now he has a daughter of his own, Gabrayel, a 4-year-old set to become the latest Grant to make her impact on the sport this summer when she attends her first lacrosse camp. Grant still hasn’t found her a stick, and while Gabrayel really likes her pink mouth guard, the truth is the youngest member of the Grant clan isn’t the biggest lacrosse fan. “She sees all the turf burns and
ice bands and sees all the things that happens to me and just assumes that happens to everyone,” Grant said. Someday she’ll understand. That’s just who her dad is: Red and
white on the inside, black and blue on the outside. LM
©BRYCE VICKMARK
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