Saanich-based lacrosse player Patrick Dodds, 19, will play for the Calgary Roughnecks, AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 professional box lacrosse team.
During the Sept. 17 National Lacrosse League (NLL) draft entry, Dodds, a right-handed forward whoB次元官网网址檚 been playing for nearly a decade, was selected during the second round B次元官网网址� 21st overall.
Dodds played for the Victoria Shamrocks in 2019 and spent the early part of his lacrosse career with the Saanich Lacrosse Association and the Claremont Secondary team.
2nd round 芒職聮茂赂聫 21st overall
B次元官网网址� Calgary Roughnecks (@NLLRoughnecks)
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Dodds was B次元官网网址渇airly sureB次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檇 be chosen during the 2020 draft but didnB次元官网网址檛 know which team heB次元官网网址檇 end up on B次元官网网址� though he was hoping to be selected by the Roughnecks as he admires many of the teamB次元官网网址檚 players.
The Roughnecks are the team to beat so it was B次元官网网址渟urrealB次元官网网址� to be selected by them, Dodds said, noting that Calgary is also close enough for his parents to come to watch him play.
DoddsB次元官网网址� father, Will, said eight other teams contacted his son before the draft but Calgary was the first choice. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 believe that itB次元官网网址檚 happening,B次元官网网址� said Will. He coached his son for several years before serving as the Saanich Lacrosse Association president and is now ready to be B次元官网网址渏ust a fan.B次元官网网址�
The 2020 season has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Dodds suspects that training camps will begin sometime in December.
Congratulations to the Victoria Shamrocks drafted last night into the NLL!
B次元官网网址� Victoria Shamrocks 芒聵聵茂赂聫 (@WLAShamrocks)
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Will said not only will Dodds be playing for the defending champions, but heB次元官网网址檒l be teammates with B次元官网网址渓egends of the leagueB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a fact that hasnB次元官网网址檛 quite sunk in for the 19-year-old. For Dodds, it feels like just yesterday that he was too scared to get out of the car for Tyke-level lacrosse and now heB次元官网网址檒l be bumping elbows with his lacrosse heroes and signing autographs.
HeB次元官网网址檇 always planned to B次元官网网址済o proB次元官网网址� but wasnB次元官网网址檛 expecting it to happen so soon. Most lacrosse players get drafted in their early 20s once theyB次元官网网址檝e completed junior play, Dodds said. He plans to continue to play for the Junior Shamrocks.
B次元官网网址淚t is great to see him land with a Canadian team fairly close to home so his family and fans can travel to watch him play,B次元官网网址� said Andy Stuart, president of the Saanich Lacrosse Association.
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He added that seeing a local get drafted to the NLL will have a positive impact on young Saanich players B次元官网网址� especially as many are feeling down with the 2020 season being cancelled.
Dodds plans to play professional lacrosse for as long as he can while also eventually working as a firefighter. To the up and coming players wanting to follow in his footsteps, he says to B次元官网网址渕ake some friends, stick with itB次元官网网址� and remember that while not everyone can make it big, B次元官网网址渨hy canB次元官网网址檛 it be you?B次元官网网址�
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