Paterson leads Cyclone past Marauders
E.L. Crossley boys field lacrosse coach Kim Yallup calls Joshua Paterson a Renaissance Man.
Yallup justifiably gushed with praise when asked about Paterson, a 17-year-old, Grade 11 student, who is a top-notch field lacrosse player, solid student and also displays an exceptional work ethic holding down a variety of jobs.
“He’s super responsive, always polite, always gives 110 (per cent) not just for the team, but to the guys too, trying to teach them what they’re doing right, what they’re doing wrong because a lot of these guys aren’t lacrosse players,” Yallup said. “He’s also incredibly intelligent. He’s going into framing and he’s going to be great at framing, but he could have done 10 other things.
“It’s kind of cool. I like to call kids like that Renaissance Men — they’re kind of good at anything. People today don’t know what that means anymore, but to me it’s a huge complement when you’re good at everything you do.”
Paterson, who hails from Caistor Centre, poured in five goals to lead the Cyclone past the A.N. Myer Marauders 8-7 in a Niagara Regional High School Athletic Association game Thursday at Sir Winston.
Paterson is a master juggler, holding down a job at a food and beverage packing plant in Smithville during the week, working odd jobs plumbing and framing on the weekend, and also finding time for school and sports.
“It’s not that bad,” Paterson said of his hectic schedule. “I just go to work and then work out and then come to these games. I go to the odd practice — I went to one this season — but I just don’t have enough time.”
He credits his father and enjoying an independent lifestyle for his tremendous work ethic.
“I just like having money to have my own stuff,” he said.
Paterson played minor lacrosse growing up and appears to be a talented enough to play at another level, but gave it up after elementary school.
“I don’t really have the time and I like to hunt and fish a lot, those are kind of my priorities in the summer time,” he said. “It’s turkey season now.
“I have a bunch of fun.”
He manages to fit in his school work each night as well.
“I do school work after I work out. I come home from the gym and do an hour or 30 minutes of school. My grades are pretty good,” he said.
Yallup said she enjoys seeing players such as Paterson succeed and gives much of the credit to lacrosse.
“The call it the Medicine Game for a reason. These kids come out and they’ve never played in their life and it makes them feel so good. I don’t know what it is about it, but it allows you to forget about all the bad things in your life, all the anxiety, all the stress, it just disappears,” she said.
Michael Ross added two goals and Blake Furtney one for the Cyclone, who improved to 3-1 on the season.
Cole Bateman had three goals for the Marauders while Lucas DiLibero, Adrian Fragnito, Logan Rossi and Anthony Sica added singles.
“The difference was that last possession,” Myer coach Joseph Fragnito said. “They were able to stop us. We just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net, plain and simple.
“I thought it was a close game, pretty good for both teams.”
The Cyclone are hosting the Zone playdowns May 16.
The Marauders also dropped a 14-1 decision to the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs Thursday.
“We have a lot of new kids on the team, a lot of kids who are inexperienced and haven’t played before. A lot of guys are learning and seeing improvements so that’s very good,” Joseph Fragnito said.
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