Three members of the Burnaby Lakers were among the 23-man roster announced Monday for the Canadian men’s indoor lacrosse team, which will be looking to defend the gold medal at the 2019 World Indoor Lacrosse championship in Langley.
Making the team were the Lakers’ Matt Beers, Robert Church and Eli McLaughlin.
The tournament runs from Sept. 19 to 28.
"Selecting the 23-man roster for Canada is always a challenge because of the depth of talent within our nation,” remarked Glenn Clark, head coach to the national indoor team. “We are very excited about the roster choices and feel that this group will represent our country well. The talent and character that will be on display during the WILC will make our country proud.”
Canada won its first won gold in 2003, at the inaugural WILC, and captured the next three as well, including the last tournament in 2015. This year’s lineup, filled with National Lacrosse League players and Team Canada alumni, is ready to defend Canada’s championship title in Langley.
Beers, Church and McLaughlin will be making their WILC debut when they pull on the Maple Leaf at the tournament, but have garnered rock-solid reputations as team players. Beers is captain of the NLL’s Vancouver Warriors, while Church (Saskatchewan) and McLaughlin (Colorado) are star offensive players with their respective teams.
Other players chosen to the team, who may be familiar to local boxla fans, include Maple Ridge Burrards and former New West junior Curtis Dickson, the Burrards’ Dane Dobbie, Christian Del Bianco and Ben McIntosh and former Coquitlam junior Challen Rogers.
