Lacrosse Legends on Apple Podcasts
100 episodes
Meet some of the amazing people who are true legends of the wonderful game of Lacrosse
Brought to you by the “Canadian Lacrosse Foundation”
Visit the CLF online at www.Lacrosse.ca/content/canadian-lacrosse-foundation
Visit Lacrosse Canada at www.lacrosse.ca
Visit some of the amazing Lacrosse HOF Websites:
Canadian – https://www.clhof.org
Ontario – https://ontariolacrossehalloffame.com
Manitoba – http://mblacrossehof.ca/
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Lacrosse Legend Walter Goodleaf
Lacrosse Legend Walter Goodleaf
Walter “Butch” Goodleaf received his first lacrosse stick at age 7 from his Grandmother. This humble start lead to his well-deserved induction into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He would display unique leadership skills as a Player, Coach and Builder in the Kahnawake community along the way.
“Butch” is known for being a team player and possessing great defensive skills, with the ability of creating offense for his Minor and Senior teams. He played on teams that won Quebec Provincial Championships and participated in President Cups and the Commonwealth Games. Goodleaf collected team and league awards that include MVP and All Star team selections. He was well respected by his teammates and was selected Captain many times. He is representative of a by-gone era of Mohawk players that earned their living as steel workers on the eastern seaboard of the USA. Goodleaf is proud of working on the original World Trade Center in New York City and traveling back to Quebec and Ontario overnight on the weekends to play lacrosse. One of his greatest personal off-floor achievements was serving as the sub-chief on the Council responsible for building the Kahnawake Sports Complex and Arena which will be the home of local lacrosse teams for many years to come. Walter Goodleaf’s story is one you want to hear- a tale from a time where love of the game was the main reward for playing. -
Lacrosse Legend Joe Curotte
Lacrosse Legend Joe Curotte
Joe Curotte is known as one of the toughest defensemen to come out of Kahnawake. His playing career stretched from 1965 through 1980 for both the Junior and Senior Caughnawaga Indians teams.
He played against the best including Gaylord Powless, Johnny Davis, Bruce Roundpoint, Frank Benedict and Mike Benedict. As a Junior he received the Best Defenceman Award in 1966 and 1968 and a similar award as a Senior player in 1976.
He was a Junior All Star in 1967 and 1969. Joe was a member of the Junior team that won the Provincial Championship in 1966. He also won Silver with the Seniors in 1969.
A crowning achievement was capturing the Thorpe Longboat Trophy at the North American Lacrosse Championship in Vancouver in 1969.
This accomplishment and his career in general led to his induction into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Lacrosse Legend Dennis Joseph
Lacrosse Legend Dennis Joseph
Dennis Joseph descends from a long line of lacrosse players. His father, Willard Joseph, played box and field lacrosse for the famed North Shore Indians teams. Dennis Joseph’s grandfather , Andrew Paull was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Paull was the founder/coach/manager of the North Shore Indians and the Squamish box and field teams. Paull was able to build capacity crowds of over 10,000 fans in the historic Denman Arena in the 1920’s and 30’s.
Outside of lacrosse Paull was the well known activist and lawyer who battled for First Nation rights and advancement. Dennis Joseph followed these footsteps with class and dedication.
His minor years were with the North Shore Indians. He has played box and field lacrosse for over 54 years. He has almost exclusively played goalie and continued to star in Masters and Grand Master divisions years after others had retired.
A most memorable moment in a colourful career was playing against Gaylord Powless and his father Ross Powless who coached when Joseph was 15 years old .
These days he coaches goaltending and serves as an elder at the Senior Level with three different organizations. Join us in hearing the unique story about Dennis Johnson and West Coast lacrosse.
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Lacrosse Legend Barry Powless
Lacrosse Legend Barry Powless
Barry Powless has made his mark in lacrosse on both sides of the border as a player, coach and manager in both the box and field versions of the game. While at Lafayette H.S. near Syracuse he was named a USLA High School All American. He went on to play attack at Syracuse University. After Syracuse he played in the 1980 World Lacrosse Championship and won the Silver Medal as part of the Can-Am Warriors squad in Vancouver.
After getting a taste of West Coast life he would play for the next decade in the Vanocuver area. In 1981 he would play and star for both the North Shoe Indians and the New Westminster Salmonbellies who would win the Mann Cup. In 1984 he captured a Presidents Cup with the North Shore Indians. He would join the Vancouver Burrards and the Coquitlam Adanacs during that time.He even made his mark in Field Lacrosse playing for the Vancouver Field Lacrosse Club and won a Provincial Championship and made the All-Star Team. In 1990 he would head back east and he helped propel the Fergus Thistles to a Presidents Cup Championship. That same year Powless played for the inaugural Iroquois National team in the World Championships in Perth, Australia. In 1992 he was picked up by the Buffalo Bandits and would win an MILL Championship. Powless would play at the Senior B level until his retirement at the advanced age of 50 years! This lengthy career brought him many honours including induction into the Ontario Lacross Hall of Fame in 1999, US Lacrosse Upstate New York Chapter Hall of Fame in 2015, the Akwesasne Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2021 as a member of the Salmonbellies Organization . His coaching and managing endeavours included Head Coach of the MLL Rochester Knighthawks from 1995-1997, VP of Lacrosse Operations for the NLL from 2000-2002 and Assistant Coach for the Iroquois 2003 World Indoor Finalists. Barry Powless Jr. Has done just about everything a lacrosse person can do! -
Lacrosse Legend Jim Bishop
Lacrosse Legend Jim Bishop
As our interview team conducted dozens of interviews across Canada over the last 4 years one
name kept popping up – Jim Bishop. Bishop is one of the most well-known names in the game.
He is deceased, but his influence and work lives on. We have put together a number of former
players and coaches who knew him to discuss the lacrosse life of one of Canada’s most
important contributors to the game.He was involved with lacrosse for 58 years, making his mark as coach and builder of the game in Ontario and throughout Canada.
Jim began coaching minor lacrosse in Toronto in 1946 and in 1957 he founded the Huntsville
Minor Lacrosse Association. One of his greatest accomplishments was building the Oshawa
Junior A Green Gaels – the legendary lacrosse organization that competed in and won 7
consecutive Minto Cups.This record of 7 consecutive titles from 1963 to 1969 has not been
equalled since and likely won’t be matched.Bishop was involved in establishing the initial National Lacrosse League in 1968 and coached the
Detroit Olympics. In 1969, Jim also went to work in Pro Hockey with the NHL’s Detroit Red
Wings. He served as a vice-president of the team for 4 years. In 1974, Jim was instrumental in
establishing the NLL again for a 2 year period. During that time, he was the Coach and General
Manager for the Toronto Tomahawks and then the coach of the Montreal Quebecois.
He became the first Technical Director of the Canadian Lacrosse Association in 1978. In 1997 he
won his 8 th Minto Cup as a coach. Bishop is a winner of the Lester B. Pearson Award from the Canadian Lacrosse Association for
excellence in lacrosse. In 1969 he was inducted into both the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and
the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.He did countless clinics for both players and coaches across the country. He wanted to teach
Canadians the proper way to play the game he loved. He also established a company to
distribute lacrosse equipment across Canada which assisted in the development of the sport.
Bishop’s greatness was his vision for the whole sport.He built systems into the game that were ahead of their time and made his players work hard to be skilled enough to execute these systems. He freely shared his knowledge and approach to the game and was instrumental in helping to expand the game to all provinces in the country.
His story is one everyone in the lacrosse community, young or old, should learn.
“Butch” is known for being a team player and possessing great defensive skills, with the ability of creating offense for his Minor and Senior teams. He played on teams that won Quebec Provincial Championships and participated in President Cups and the Commonwealth Games. Goodleaf collected team and league awards that include MVP and All Star team selections. He was well respected by his teammates and was selected Captain many times. He is representative of a by-gone era of Mohawk players that earned their living as steel workers on the eastern seaboard of the USA. Goodleaf is proud of working on the original World Trade Center in New York City and traveling back to Quebec and Ontario overnight on the weekends to play lacrosse. One of his greatest personal off-floor achievements was serving as the sub-chief on the Council responsible for building the Kahnawake Sports Complex and Arena which will be the home of local lacrosse teams for many years to come. Walter Goodleaf’s story is one you want to hear- a tale from a time where love of the game was the main reward for playing.
After getting a taste of West Coast life he would play for the next decade in the Vanocuver area. In 1981 he would play and star for both the North Shoe Indians and the New Westminster Salmonbellies who would win the Mann Cup. In 1984 he captured a Presidents Cup with the North Shore Indians. He would join the Vancouver Burrards and the Coquitlam Adanacs during that time.He even made his mark in Field Lacrosse playing for the Vancouver Field Lacrosse Club and won a Provincial Championship and made the All-Star Team. In 1990 he would head back east and he helped propel the Fergus Thistles to a Presidents Cup Championship. That same year Powless played for the inaugural Iroquois National team in the World Championships in Perth, Australia. In 1992 he was picked up by the Buffalo Bandits and would win an MILL Championship. Powless would play at the Senior B level until his retirement at the advanced age of 50 years! This lengthy career brought him many honours including induction into the Ontario Lacross Hall of Fame in 1999, US Lacrosse Upstate New York Chapter Hall of Fame in 2015, the Akwesasne Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2021 as a member of the Salmonbellies Organization .
His coaching and managing endeavours included Head Coach of the MLL Rochester Knighthawks from 1995-1997, VP of Lacrosse Operations for the NLL from 2000-2002 and Assistant Coach for the Iroquois 2003 World Indoor Finalists. Barry Powless Jr. Has done just about everything a lacrosse person can do!
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How Syracuse Legend Rodney Dumpson Rekindled His Love of Lacrosse
TEEING OFF ON THE 18TH HOLE at the Village Club of Sands Point, Rodney Dumpson had one of those rare moments when the world makes perfect sense.
The private golf course had lush greens and breathtaking views of Hempstead Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. A wealthy Long Island enclave, the Sands Point peninsula inspired the fictional East Egg of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” a century ago.
It’s also just a stone’s throw from the Port Washington public housing project where Dumpson grew up.
Dumpson glared at the Guggenheim Mansion, the epitome of opulence with its Italian Renaissance-era architecture and historically preserved features.
“Something came over me,” he said.
Dumpson turned to his golfing friend and former Schreiber High School lacrosse teammate Stuart Lieblein, a commodities broker who played at Hobart and currently serves as president of the Port Washington Police Athletic League (PAL).
“Stuart, what do you see?” Dumpson asked.
Confused, Lieblein replied, “What do you mean?”
“I see a clubhouse and a mansion.”
“What’s your point?”
“It’s crazy to me that if a kid just got an opportunity, this is what could happen.
You’re talking to that kid.”
In that moment, Dumpson felt a renewed appreciation for the sport that took him from Port Washington to Syracuse. He played on the first midfield line alongside the Gait brothers from 1988-1990, winning three NCAA championships and scoring the deciding goal in a 13-12 win over Johns Hopkins in the 1989 final — a game better known for the epic encounter between Gary Gait and Dave Pietramala, now the head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively, at Syracuse.
Dumpson had buried that memory along with the others. He had a complicated relationship with lacrosse. “Bittersweet,” he said, souring on the sport after the New York Saints released him in 1993. He scored in each of the six games he played as a pro. But it wasn’t enough.
“It’s a love-hate with this game,” said Keith Owens, Dumpson’s lifelong friend who was a year ahead of him at Schreiber and Syracuse. They frequently were the only two Black players on the field. “You’ve got to work twice as hard to get half as far.
”
“If a kid just got an opportunity, this is what could happen. You’re talking to that kid.”
DUMPSON WENT RATHER FAR, considering he did not know his father and his mother died when he was 6. His older sister, Wendy, was his legal guardian. The youngest of six siblings, Dumpson seldom stayed in one place. But he had the support of his extended family and a diverse group of friends from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
“On Long Island, in towns that are extremely wealthy but also have poverty, kids go to school together,” Dumpson said. “It’s what makes Long Island special.”
In middle school, Dumpson befriended Cliff Mendelson, whose father, Herb, was an All-American soccer goalie and lacrosse team MVP at Syracuse in the 1940s and was a senior partner at a prominent law firm in New York.
“A Jewish family. How about that?” said Dumpson, the youngest of six siblings. “I spent a lot of time with that family. Ski trips, family events — they basically adopted me.
”
Dumpson previously tried lacrosse in grade school but his family pedigree pointed his ambition elsewhere. His uncle, Bill Dumpson, starred in multiple sports at then-Port Washington High School and was the first Black player named to the All-Newsday basketball team. He went on to play baseball at South Carolina State, striking out 17 batters in an exhibition against the Homestead Grays of the Negro National League and leaving with the opponent that night to join the pros. He spent three years in the Negro leagues and also played basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters, where he earned the nickname Showboat.
In Dumpson’s family and the neighborhood where he grew up, basketball was the measuring stick. That other sport with a stick? It wasn’t even a consideration until he saw Owens play.
“I’m a student of many games. I’m a people watcher,” Dumpson said. “I got to sit back and watch Keith.”
Neither Owens nor Dumpson were recruited to play lacrosse in college. Owens went the junior college route, becoming a two-time NJCAA All-American at Farmingdale and Nassau.
Dumpson joined the workforce, spending two years at Aristo Grid Lamp Products installing aircraft lights.
Both played for Harvey’s Lax Club, routinely outperforming Division I players who came home for the summer to compete at Cantiague Park in Hicksville. That’s where legendary Syracuse coach Roy Simmons Jr. discovered them.
Owens had blazing speed, a lightning quick release and distributed the ball with pinpoint precision. Dumpson had a powerful shot and downhill dodging ability. Simmons was busy breaking new ground with the Gaits in British Columbia, but Cliff Mendelson convinced him to add Port Washington to his itinerary.
“He just kept pestering Coach,” Owens said. “I had never met Roy. Never spoke to him. I met him when I got to Syracuse. The day I got there was the day I got my acceptance letter.”
OWENS AND DUMPSON ARRIVED at Syracuse in the spring of 1987. Owens played sparingly. Dumpson redshirted.
Owens emerged the next year, scoring 11 goals as the Orange went undefeated and won the NCAA championship his senior season.
He went on to play in the USILA North-South Game.
Dumpson won two more NCAA titles with Syracuse but found himself frequently overshadowed by Gary and Paul Gait. During ESPN’s broadcast of the Hopkins-Syracuse final at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium in 1989, commentator Leif Elsmo characterized Dumpson, who finished with 16 goals that season, as “pretty much a guy who carries the water for the Gaits.”
While Dumpson understood why some saw him as an accessory on one of the greatest teams of all-time — “The entire lacrosse world carried the water for the Gaits,” he said. “We still do.” — he would soon establish his own place in lacrosse history.
With Syracuse ahead 12-11, Dumpson retrieved an errant pass from Paul Gait near the ground, whipped it behind his hip with one hand, set his feet, crow-hopped and sent a blistering shot past Hopkins goalie Quint Kessenich for what held up as the game-winning goal.
Back home in Port Washington, Owens listened on the radio as Dumpson put the finishing touches on a game that’s still considered among the best in NCAA championship history.
“I was proud,” said Owens, who was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame last year. “We’re best friends. We’re from the same town. We’ve known each other since we were 5 years old.”
Owens and Dumpson remain close today. They’re business partners, co-owners of Chip Away, a company that removes road rash and does paint repair on leased and used vehicles for auto dealerships in the tri-state area.
“We’re connected at the hip,” Dumpson said. “I don’t know how to finish my sentences without Keith.”
Uncle Tavares – lacrosse legend
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The name of John Tavares is all over the place now. Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with yet another prediction regarding the ex-London forward’s first season in the NHL. Not at all. In order not to reveal all the cards in the preface, I will only note that the original of this note was published in the New York Post. That’s my whole introductory part. =) If you want, you can bet (as many have already done) the following statement: John Tavares is the best athlete in his sport of all time. Do you think this is a praise for an 18-year-old guy who has not yet played a single game in the NHL? Now his nephew will have to do the same, or at least try, with the Islanders, who picked him first overall just over a month ago. “My uncle did a lot and made our name famous in lacrosse,” says Tavares. “I want to do the same in hockey.” His new team is counting on it. “Even when he was little, and we played hockey or lacrosse with him at home, it was clear that he was great at it,” says the elder Tavares. It is worth noting that Tavares Sr. is the current holder of all sniper records in the NLL. He is also called “Lacrosse Wayne Gretzky”. However, even he considers lacrosse to be just an “extra income”. Therefore, it is not surprising that he also teaches mathematics at one of the schools in Mississauga, Ontario, where his nephew once lived. “You can’t make a living playing lacrosse,” says Tavares Jr., who bowled at his uncle’s games. By the way, according to the Islanders forward, he owes his hard work to his uncle, who did not let himself down, being even the best player in the league. Tavares Jr. played lacrosse until the age of 16, but then he concentrated his attention exclusively on hockey. The right decision, especially based on his contract for $ 4 million + bonuses, designed for three years. “Yeah, I don’t think he’ll have to look for a job outside of hockey,” says Tavares Sr. “Before the draft, I asked him to put in a good word for me to the team that eventually selects him, and they would invite me to a review. I’m still waiting.” Despite his age, Tavares’ uncle continues to be one of the best players in the NLL. Last season, he tied for first place in the league’s top scorers list with 51 goals in 16 games and finished fifth in total points (94). “Now I’ve gotten to the point where I enjoy every new season,” he says. “Sometimes age comes through, but then I look at the league’s stats and see my name on it.” The younger Tavares now has a chance to prove to everyone that he was not in vain chosen with the first number in the draft and that he deserves to bear the name of his uncle. “I don’t know what it’s like to play in the NHL, but I’m familiar with the world of professional sports,” says Tavaresa’s uncle. “And I know what it’s like to be a rookie in the league. John hasn’t played a game there yet, so he still has to prove himself, and it’s not that easy. But that hasn’t stopped him before.” Regardless of the statistics, his nephew knows for sure that he will spend the off-season differently than his uncle. “No, I’m definitely not going to teach.” |
I prepared something much more, in my opinion, interesting. 
T-shirts with the name Tavares have already become the most popular product among fans of the Islanders, and he himself has become the face of the club. He’s already used to this kind of attention. At the age of 14, he had already made a name at the junior level, and at 16, he completely broke some of Wayne Gretzky’s records.
Everything about the Mann Cup.
All about the Mann Cup.
Langley Thunder and San Diego Seals NLL forward Curtis Dixon named 2022 Mann Cup Final Series MVP
“Peterborough Lakers” for the fourth time in a row won the Mann Cup. Game 7, 9-9 draw with 20 minutes to go, the Mann Cup title is on the line. In such a situation, there were
This is the first Mann Cup series since 2009 where the winner is known after the 7th game, and only the 11th series since the switch to a four-match win format in 1950.
Lacrosse legends John Tavares and John Grant Jr. marked Sean Evans’ record for scoring in the history of the Mann Cup.
Best phrase in sports: game number seven. The winner takes the Mann Cup. The Langley Thunder put on a solid performance as they won Game 6 9-4 away to the Peterborough Lakers.
He did it!!! Shaun Evans, having provided an assist in the fifth match of the final series of the Mann Cup, became the sole leader in points scored in the history of the tournament. Evans now has
The Langley Thunder are on the verge of losing the Mann Cup final as the hosting Peterborough Lakers have won and are on the verge of a fourth championship.
“Peterborough Lakers” beat “Langley Thunder” 15:12 equalized the score in the final series in the fight for the Mann Cup. A significant event took place in this match. Sean Evans equaled
The Peterborough Lakers take Game 3 and cut their series lead against the Langley Thunder for the 2022 Mann Cup. The defending champion Peterborough Lakers forced
In the second match of the final series of struggle for the Mann Cup 2022, “Langley Thunder” again proved to be stronger than “Peterborough Lakers” 15:14.
Dein wins overtime for Thunder
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