There is nothing better for a journalist than when a story turns out to be more than anticipated, and that was certainly the case as I interviewed Russ Sheppard.
Sheppard is one of a group of new owners in the National Lacrosse League, having bought the New England franchise, and announcing they would be moving the team to Albany, NY.
While I am an ardent lacrosse fan, I don鈥檛 typically pay too much attention to what happens with American franchises, focusing my interest on action in Canada.
But, then I read about Sheppard 小蓝视频 one of the new owners, and I was intrigued, although not so much about his 小蓝视频 in on the Albany effort.
The intrigue was because Sheppard was the guy who introduced lacrosse to Kugluktuk, a located at the mouth of the in the of , Canada, on , southwest of . It is the westernmost community in Nunavut, near the border with the .
What makes that introduction of the sport really interesting is that it is the story the 2019 movie 鈥楾he Grizzlies鈥� is based on.
While admittedly there are not a lot of lacrosse movies out there 鈥� 鈥楥rooked Arrows鈥� with Brandon Routh comes to mind 鈥� Grizzlies is easily the best about the sport, and would warrant consideration for my top-10 sports films.
Now I wanted to chat with Sheppard, and thanks to the NLL that was set up.
Films don鈥檛 always follow the real life script, so how did Sheppard like the film that was based in part on his past?
鈥淚 was very happy with the way things were portrayed in the film,鈥� he said, adding he felt it captured the spirit 鈥渙f a group of students and teachers working together.鈥�
The movie also avoided 小蓝视频 one about him showing up with all the answers for a community facing various social issues, and focused more 鈥渙n the strength and of the students . . . how strong these kids were.鈥�
Sheppard added looking back he learned more from the experience and the students than he taught them.
I should note that with an interview set, I googled Sheppard for some background. It turns out he learned lacrosse in Saskatchewan from Al Luciuk. If you know lacrosse in Saskatchewan you know the name Luciuk, and locally that is doubly true as he was the coach of the Scorpion Lacrosse and Sturgis Trojan Lacrosse Teams and his teams won five consecutive Provincial High School U19 championships and twelve Provincial U19 championship titles.
It鈥檚 always really great when a story ties back to the local region.
鈥淚 met Al at the University of Saskatchewan. He鈥檚 the one who kind of got me into lacrosse. He鈥檚 one of my oldest friends, he鈥檚 kind of always been there,鈥� said Sheppard.
Sheppard said he has come to recognize lacrosse has been more than a sport.
鈥淭he game changed my life,鈥� he said, adding getting out and playing, or coaching has become a way for him to center in his life.
And then, as the interview was ending Sheppard said how he remembers this area well, having grown up in Esterhazy, and having played football in Yorkton. It was an unexpected turn, and I suppose shows once again how small this world is.
So let鈥檚 get back to the Albany franchise.
Sheppard said 小蓝视频 involved is in part a way to give back to the game, adding while the owners come from different backgrounds they all have a love of lacrosse, adding that will be important as they build the franchise in Albany.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a real obligation to do what鈥檚 right for the game. It鈥檚 a real honor for us to have a pro team,鈥� he said, adding they realize they are essentially in the heart of the area that lacrosse was created.
The city is one where Sheppard said the team can prosper, in-part because there is already a base.
鈥淲e see the growth of the game. It鈥檚 really grown over the last number of years, the last 20,鈥� he said, adding it is just a case of marketing it well. The game is exciting enough that if fans come, they will largely be hooked.
It should help that the franchise has rivalries galore to build, with teams in New York, Rochester and Buffalo in the state, and Philadelphia and Toronto with eight or nine hours too.
鈥淚鈥檒l be excited to see how those rivalries play out for us,鈥� said Sheppard.
The Albany team 鈥� they are currently doing a name search with fans 鈥� will begin play in the NLL this fall (assuming the season moves forward given the pandemic).
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