Gary Gait is sticking with the womenB次元官网网址檚 Canada Lacrosse program.
The former Saanich resident and Victoria Shamrock served the last four years as the director of womenB次元官网网址檚 field lacrosse and while his role will remain the same, his title will changed to general manager of the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 national team program.
Gait will be responsible for overseeing both the senior and U19 teams for the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) 2019 WomenB次元官网网址檚 U19 World Championships and 2021 FIL WomenB次元官网网址檚 Lacrosse World Cup.
Four years ago Dave Huntley, national menB次元官网网址檚 senior director and Dean French, national team chairman convinced Gait to work with the womenB次元官网网址檚 national team. At the time, Gait was volunteering for the Intercollegiate WomenB次元官网网址檚 Lacrosse Coaches Association in the U.S. and thought it was a good idea to give back to the game in his home country and wants to continue his contributions in his new role.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an opportunity to develop an elite level across Canada, and do the same thing when they get to the senior level,B次元官网网址� Gait said. B次元官网网址淭he womenB次元官网网址檚 side has grown dramatically in Canada, especially in box,B次元官网网址� noting that Canada wasnB次元官网网址檛 a medal contender at world championships and is now biting at the heels of the U.S.
Gait coached Canada to its first international gold medal in womenB次元官网网址檚 field lacrosse at the 2015 FIL U19 WomenB次元官网网址檚 Lacrosse World Championship.
He is involved with the National Lacrosse Team PlayersB次元官网网址� Association (NLTPA) as the lead negotiator, trying to negotiate a four-year agreement with the Canadian Lacrosse Association for organization, structure and funding for the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 national teams.
NLTPA is trying to get away from the pay to play structure and generate extra revenue to provide more support to help grow the sport in Canada.
Gait said the model has come a long way. Previously U19 players each had to raise $3,500 to play, but they have been able to get that down to $500.
Throughout his coaching career he spent time coaching in the Major Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League (NLL) before coaching in college and eventually returning to his alma mater, Syracuse University in 2007, as head coach of the womenB次元官网网址檚 field lacrosse team. He coached his daughter, Taylor, who just finished her senior season of lacrosse for the Orange (and is an active member of the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 national team.) He has an overall record of 150-48 at Syracuse and has taken the Orange to two appearances in the NCAA national championship game.
Gait has a total of 10 NCAA national titles, winning seven of those as an assistant coach for the University of MarylandB次元官网网址檚 womenB次元官网网址檚 lacrosse team.
A formidable player, he played college lacrosse at Syracuse with his twin brother Paul, and led the Orange to three NCAA championships, earning first-team All-America honours three times and was Player of the Year twice.
He played 17 years in the NLL and was selected the leagueB次元官网网址檚 MVP a record six times and was inducted into the NLLB次元官网网址檚 Hall of Fame and both the Canadian and U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Gait helped the Shamrocks to two Mann Cups (B次元官网网址�97 and B次元官网网址�99) and one with the Brooklin Redmen in B次元官网网址�90.
A current resident of Syracuse, Gait still makes a trip home to Victoria every August for two weeks and of course, he enjoys taking in some Shamrocks lacrosse. He has coached ShamrocksB次元官网网址� Jesse King and Rhys Duch, and said they made a good run this season.
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