Greg Lunde is in transition.
But that suits him just fine.
Every spring the Terry Fox secondary school grad transitions from playing field lacrosse for the Simon Fraser University Clan to the darker, closed confines of the box game. This spring he’ll compound that transition by trying to make the roster of the Maple Ridge Burrards, who plucked him from the Port Coquitlam Saints with their first pick in the third round of last February’s Western Lacrosse Association’s draft of graduating junior players. And in the fall, he’ll transition from academe to the work world when he puts his business degree into action for a major accounting firm.
Lunde said the movement keeps him on his toes. It also sets a good example for the ranks of young freshman players out of the Tri-Cities, like midfielder Mackenzie Day, and attackman Nolan Day, who have followed him to SFU after he coached many of them in the Burnaby Mountain Selects field lacrosse program.
The infusion of local talent is vital fuel to SFU’s field lacrosse program, which exists outside the realm of the school’s varsity sports. That means it doesn’t have the funding or resources available to those programs, and players aren’t eligible for athletic scholarships.
Still, the team is able to compete against big-time colleges in the U.S., like Oregon State and Brigham Young universities and the University of Washington. And the Clan regularly schedules a road swing into California where they can often hold their own against fleet-footed American players who grew up playing field lacrosse.
Lunde said the box background of most of the Clan’s players can be a bit of a challenge when matched against American teams comprised of players who’ve only played field lacrosse and have had years to refine the fitness and skills, like shooting from both sides, the much larger playing surface demands.
“They look the part,” Lunde said. “They’re fast. Their fundamentals are based on shooting and stick skills.”
But growing up on box lacrosse can also be an advantage as the arena game is much more physical and requires quicker decision making. Using the components from one to complement the other, is the key to success, Lunde said.
“You need to find a balance between being physical and the influence of speed,” he said.
As Lunde heads into the final month of his senior season, he leads the Clan in scoring, with 43 points in six games. Along with Burnaby attacker Tyler Kirkby, who has 40 points, they’ve shouldered the bulk of the team’s offence as the Clan’s next leading scorer has less than half their point production.
Lunde’s leadership role on the team isn’t just recorded on the score sheet. He’s also taken on the responsibility of guiding and mentoring younger players by quarterbacking plays on the field and helping them navigate the challenges of athletics and academics off it.
He’s eminently qualified for the latter, as Lunde attends SFU on an academic scholarship.
But when Lunde’s last exam is written, his education won’t be over.
Lunde said he’s looking forward to learning how to become an even better player when he hits the Burrards’ training camp alongside the team’s legendary “Superman,” Curtis Dickson, who announced his return to Maple Ridge on March 12 after spending three seasons in Ontario with the Peterborough Lakers.
“That will be an invaluable experience,” Lunde said.
• The Clan travel to Boise, ID., this weekend for games against Brigham Young and Boise State universities. Their next home game at Terry Fox Field in Burnaby is April 7, when they play Western Washington University at 7 p.m.
