Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/5/17
From Press Releases
Saint Joseph’s men’s lacrosse head coach Taylor Wray will return as the defensive coordinator of the Canadian National Team at the 2018 FIL Men’s Lacrosse World Championship this summer, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon. The games will be played in Netanya, Israel in Summer 2018, where Canada will look to defend its 2014 title.
Wray also served as Team Canada’s defensive coordinator at the 2010 and 2014 men’s world championships and served as the head coach for the 2012 and 2016 U-19 men’s field teams; Wray led Team Canada’s U-19 squad to a second-place finish in 2016.
Wray is part of a group of familiar faces that will join head coach Randy Mearns on the sidelines.
Returning to the senior national team after leading them to gold in 2014 are offensive coordinator Matt Brown, defensive coordinator and assistant coach (box) Jason Levesque.
Merrick Thompson, assistant coach (offence), makes the jump to the senior coaching ranks for the first time, while Mark Miyashita, assistant coach (defense), will make his debut on the international stage.
“I feel incredibly honoured to work with a group of passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable professionals” said head coach Randy Mearns. “To be successful, this journey will, without a doubt, be a collective effort and I am confident that with this staff all the pieces of the puzzle are in place.”
Mearns, who has been coaching with the senior squad in some capacity since 2006, will be surrounded with coaches that have plenty of experience on the international stage.
Wray led a staff comprised of Brown, Levesque and Thompson to a silver medal at the 2016 FIL U19 Men’s World Championship in Coquitlam, B.C., where his squad lost in heartbreaking fashion to the U.S. in the finals. He also coached with Brown at the 2012 U19 event, and was an assistant coach alongside Mearns at the 2010 world championship.
In addition to the coaching staff, a number of recognizable names will join the team in a support staff role, including Dan Carey as team coordinator and Terry Rayner as equipment manager. Our athletes will be assisted in their preparations over the coming months by therapists Stephen Lobsinger and Kaylin Fraser, physician Dr. Steve MacGregor, and nutritionist Kathryn O’Brien.
“I am thrilled that our team will be supported by such an accomplished group of professionals,” added men’s field program director Dave Huntley. “Their resumes speak volumes about each individual, but what is special to me is their passion for Canadian lacrosse and their commitment to our players.”
Coaching Staff:
Matt Brown (Burnaby, B.C.) – Offensive Coordinator
Taylor Wray (Edmonton, Alta.) – Defensive Coordinator
Merrick Thomson (Stoney Creek, Ont.) – Assistant Coach, Offense
Mark Miyashita (Richmond, B.C.) – Assistant Coach, Defence
Jason Levesque (St. Catharines, Ont.) – Assistant Coach, Box
Support Staff:
Dan Carey (Peterborough, Ont.) – Team Coordinator
Terry Rayner (Oshawa, Ont.) – Equipment Manager
Stephen Lobsinger (Guelph, Ont.) – Therapist
Kaylin Fraser (Oshawa, Ont.) – Therapist
Kathryn O’Brien (Guelph, Ont.) – Nutritionist
Dr. Steve MacGregor (Kitchener, Ont.) – Physician
The coaching and support staff, along with roughly 40 players, will gather in Buffalo, New York for a selection camp this weekend. They will play split squad exhibition games against NCAA teams Canisius College (Buffalo, NY), Notre Dame (South Bend, IN), Robert Morris (Pittsburgh, PA) and Cleveland State (Cleveland, OH).