While the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs remain on the consumer market, Travis Gillespie is sold on the B.C. Jr. 'A' lacrosse league squad.
The former PoCo Saints junior, Coquitlam Sr. Adanacs and field lacrosse standout has agreed to join the Jr. A's as an assistant in charge of team defence under head coach Curt Malawsky for the coming 2011 season, the team announced in a press release Saturday.
Known mostly as a defensive dynamo and transition taskmaster, the 35-year-old Gillespie still managed to tally 85 points in 66 games over five seasons with the Sr. A's, helping the team claim the 2001 Mann Cup national crown in Vancouver. He played field lacrosse on scholarship at South Carolina's Limestone College and also on Canada's Under-19 squad, and went on to play six National Lacrosse League seasons with five different teams.
Gillespie said he was approached about taking over the position on a few occasions by Malawsky, who is apparently very difficult to say 'No' to.
"It pretty much came down to Malawksy hassling me," chuckled Gillespie, whose dad, Al, is also a member of the Jr. A's coaching crew, along with goalie guru Ryan Williams. "He sent me a few emails and texts... he's a pretty convincing guy."
A former teammate of Malawsky's on the Sr. A's, Gillespie feels most comfortable working the former scoring star who guided Coquitlam to the Minto Cup national crown in his first year with the club. This will mark Gillespie's first year coaching box, although he's coached the game's field version for 10 years and is set to steer the B.C. Under-16 team next summer, as well.
"There's never a rebuilding year," Gillespie said of the Jr. A's primary goal next season. "I don't even like to say the word 'retooling.' Guys graduate and new players come in. Our primary goal is to win the Minto Cup again. Curt and I are definitely on the same page there."
In the release, the Jr. A's stated: "Travis brings to the club a tremendous amount of knowledge, skill and determination, all attributes he demonstrated as a player."
The addition of Gillespie comes amid a time of controversy for the Jr. A's, whose current ownership tandem of governor Rocky Zimmerman and general manager Ken Wood have indicated they would be willing to sell their stake in the team to the right buyer. The pair is seemingly standing firm in its decision to look for a prospective purchaser after it was recently involved in a heated battle with the Coquitlam Minor Lacrosse Association and the city to retain their practice floor time, which appears to have since be resolved after the Jr. A's agreed to switch from their Thursday night slot for one on Friday night for the coming season.
However, BCJLL president Al Lang told The Tri-City News last week that the league's board of governors would have to approve the sale and/or location transfer of the Jr. A's, if it reached such a point.
SECOND SHOTS: Coquitlam's Colton Dow of Heritage Woods secondary school tallied twice and added three assists as the SFU Clan whipped the Western Washington Vikings 15-5 in the Clan's season-opening university field lacrosse league game Sunday at Cunnings Field.
