Spartans captain leads by example
It didn’t take Spartans assistant coach Mitch Hannigan long to appreciate Jacob Edmands.
Hannigan kept hearing about Edmands and what an impact he would have on the team when he arrived following his school year at Nazareth College in Rochester.
“He’s a great leader and he’s lived up to everything I heard about him,” Hannigan said. “There’s no doubt he’s got tremendous leadership and tremendous heart and he’s a really big part of our back end.
“I got to know him fairly quickly over the first 10 games of the season. His tenacity and intensity elevates the people around him. You look for the truly good lacrosse players and athletes, they make the people around them better just as much as they impact the game themselves.”
Edmands missed the first four games while at school but quickly assumed his role as captain upon is arrival.
“I missed a little bit at the beginning and I know we had a bit of a rough start,” he said. “I was just trying to get the boys back on track. That’s what I started off with.
“I can bring a lot of guidance and help with the D and the other side.”
Edmands, a 19-year-old St. Catharines native, is in his third season as captain.
“I honestly didn’t see it coming. I was only a second-year player. I really wasn’t expecting it,” he said. “I was obviously happy, but it was a little surprise.
“It gave me even more motivation to get better.”
Edmands is a classic lead-by-example captain.
“I’m not the loudest guy in the room. I don’t go nuts like some of the lunatics we have,” he said, with a smile. “(I) just always give 100 per cent.”
Edmands value isn’t limited to his leadership role. He is a big part of the club’s defence, and also chips in on transition.
“He’s one of those guys who succeeded in each role,” Hannigan said. “The few times he’s taken a run up in a transition role, we don’t mind him on the O side. He makes an impact down there as well.
“We like to save his impact for the back end because he’s the leader by example.”
Edmands has more of an offensive role in at Nazareth in the field game.
“I feel they (field and box) can both help each other either way. Obviously, cardio is big in both and playing O in one sport and D in the other, I feel I can be effective on both sides of the floor or field.
“It is pretty cool. It’s great to play field and box.”
Edmands has high hopes for the Spartans, who picked up a pair of wins over the weekend to get back to .500 at 5-5.
“I feel this year we can definitely take a bigger step than we have the last few years. We’re trying to go all the way. I think everyone is trying to do that.”
The Spartans are home to the Niagara Thunderhawks Thursday and at Six Nations Friday.
“It’s great that we won and we’re happy with it,” head coach Chris Spiers said. “At the beginning of the year, our defence really stood out. I think we just have to tighten up. The last few games we’ve let a lot of goals in against and we can’t have that.”
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