NLL's off-season replaced by summer loops

Don't call it a summer vacation.

While the members of the Edmonton Rush are away from the National Lacrosse League -- and won't return until later on this winter -- most aren't on a summer leave of absence from lacrosse and are active in leagues across North America.

Playing lacrosse year-round is prevalent for many of the Rush stars and with the six-month commitment to play for Edmonton over until upcoming November, the NLL's off-season allows players to continue with senior level loops like the Western Lacrosse Association, Rocky Mountain and Ontario's Major Series Lacrosse in boxla and a handful take to the outdoors for field play.

As play started in late May, teams are still adding players to rosters, however many Rush members already made returns to summer clubs and are providing an impact on their respective teams.

Derek Keenan is busy again this summer, too. The architect of the Rush turnaround in 2010 is behind the bench for both the junior A Whitby Warriors and a midget team his son plays for.

And as Keenan remains involved in lacrosse year round, he prefers most of his pro players to stay active as well in their time away from the Rush.

"I leave up to them, though" he said. "No, I don't mandate the guys to play.

"Some guys don't play because they want to get caught up on their jobs, but I encourage the young players especially to play.

"I think for the younger guys, it's great. For a kid like Dane Stevens - who had a good rookie year for us - has really good upside because he's a big body and he's got good skills," Keenan added. "He's playing in Burnaby that's not one of the top teams, so he'll get a lot of touches on offense and plenty of floor time. Same thing for Corey Small in Kitchener Waterloo."

Stevens, who scored seven goals and 17 points in six games for Edmonton in his rookie campaign, is the leading scorer for the Lakers and his impressive goals scored accounts for a bulk of Burnaby's tallies.

Small, who racked up 39 points in his NLL debut with Edmonton -- along with defender Brett Mydske in Langley -- are both expected to further mature in the box game with added roles and minutes in action.

"Mydske appears to be doing well in Langley," Keenan said of the Edmonton's top rookie. "He'll get a lot of floor time and continue to work on his skills too."

Other players out West include Ian Hawksbee (New Westminster), Dean Hill (Victoria), Brandon Atherton (Coquitlam) and Scott Tinning (Burnaby).

Hawksbee, named the best defensive player for Edmonton in 2009, returns for his sixth season at New West. The top defender in the WLA for the Bellies looks to hold off a revamped Victoria club in a return to the Mann Cup.

Brodie Merrill and Gavin Prout both suit up for the Toronto Nationals of the MLL and later in July will represent Canada at the field World Championship in England, while American Ryan Powell will don the red, white and blue uniform in the international event.

Ian Crashley also represents Toronto in the field game as does Small, while longtime Brooklin defender Derek Suddons heads up the Redmen D in MSL and it's likely a return to Six Nations for sniper Andy Secore.

Local products are active in the Rocky Mountain loop as tough as nails defender Ryan McNish leads an impressive Spruce Grove Slash and transition player John Lintz grabs top minutes for the senior Minors.

All three coaches are busy behind the benches with Keenan and Jeremy Tallevi in Ontario and Todd Lorenz in Alberta play.

Keenan, who guided Edmonton to a 10-6 mark and the club's first-ever playoff appearance in 2010 -- is on another rebuilding project -- this time in Whitby with the junior A Warriors.

After a few tough campaigns, Whitby's off to a suburb start on OLA play.

"It's the new regime and so far, so good," he said. "It's a bit of a rebuild. We have a lot of really good kids and a lot of really good players in our area, though."

And just as he expects a commitment at every level from his players, Keenan's latest venture in lacrosse, among all his lacrosse commitments, won't allow him to get some time away from the game anytime soon.

"Not really in the summer. Maybe in the fall," he said on him getting some rest and relaxation. "It's been really busy, but I've managed to work the rework the schedule to better for the family."

No need to pass the sunblock, then.

By Bruce Rakoczy