Two Philly players, Philly coach to represent France at FIL World Championships in Manchester, England

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 7/14/10

While much has been written about the US team – loaded with Philly players and a Philly coach – which is expected to challenge defending champion Canada for the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship in England, a rather unknown group of Philly products are also gearing for the event.

Team France features offensive coordinator Russ Atkinson, the head coach at Devon Prep and two Philly players – Atkinson’s son, Russell, a rising junior midfielder at Malvern Prep, and recent Hill School graduate James Brenner (middie).

Atkinson was a letter-winner for Malvern’s co-Inter-Ac League championship team this year and has gone to Nike Blue Chip camp the past two years. Atkinson also was selected to play in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Showcase last month at Penn.

Russ Atkinson, who played at the University of Delaware from 1977-80, has been coach at Devon Prep for four years. He also has been a Board Member and coach of Conestoga Youth Lacrosse for nine years and has over 20 years of lacrosse experience.

France will play in a group that included Scotland, Latvia, and New Zealand. The event begins Thursday and France opens its schedule Saturday vs. Latvia at 6:30 p.m.

Frances head coach is Billy Tauzin III, an assistant coach at Central Catholic HS, San Antonio, TX. He also was head coach at Louisiana State University (2007) and Nicholls State University (2002-04) and played at the US Coast Guard Academy (1991-94) and at Louisiana State University (1994-96)
Team France Roster 2010

Goalie
Louis Bondaz – Paris
Bryan LeJeune – Boca Raton HS, Florida

Defense
Pierre-Yves Brossard – Paris (Captain)
Sylvail Gallet – Paris
Antoine Masurel – Lille
Carl Edmund Sherman – Paris
Bertrand Salmi – Welwyn Warriors
Robin Webb – Newcastle/Northumbria University UK

Midfield
Russell Atkinson – Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern PA
Vincent Bouchet – Mainz, Germany
James Brenner – The Hill School, Pottstown, PA
Alexandre Canet – C.W. Post-LIU
Felix De Clercq – Paris
Francoie Labbe – Lille (Captain)
Paul Maitre – Paris
Donimique Sandy – Reading Wildcats, UK
Julien Thevenet – Lille
Matthieu Thevenet – Lille
Hirotsugu Tsuda – Paris

Attack
Nicky Constant – Paris
Devin Blondes – Paris
Hugues MacTruong – Paris
Hiroto Shimamura – Paris (Pre-tournament coach)