Eskasoni athlete to represent Canada overseas
ESKASONI — Leonard (Lenny) Marshall, a 20-yearold lacrosse player from Eskasoni First Nation, is gearing up for a significant milestone and the most prominent "road game" of his career.
Selected to represent Canada at the 2024 E-Box Invitational Box Lacrosse Tournament in Prague, Czechia, Marshall views this opportunity as the result of years of hard work and perseverance.
Marshall plays for two teams in Nova Scotia: the Mi'kmaq Warriors junior 'A' team in Truro and the Nova Scotia Privateers men's team in Dartmouth. He has also played for the Eskasoni Eagles junior 'B' hockey team and pitched for Nova Scotia's fastball team in the North American Indigenous Games.
Although he's focusing on lacrosse now, Marshall says he considers himself a multisport athlete.
"I play lacrosse the most. But I also coach hockey and play hockey and fastball. I'm a multi-sport kind of guy," he said.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Marshall credits his father, Leonard Marshall, for instilling a love for lacrosse at a young age. Leonard, a lifelong fan of the sport, always nurtured his son's talent, from attending his first practices in middle school to driving him to team practices and games on the mainland.
"There was a school lacrosse program here in Eskasoni that my dad took me to when I was in middle school. After that, my dad kept encouraging us, getting us to play outside, always practicing," Lenny said. "The more
I kept up with the sport, the more lacrosse just kept growing."
Marshall's father, Leonard, says that when he first started coaching his son, it was hard to field a full team. Now, Leonard helps run an entire lacrosse program out of the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.
"Over the years, we struggled. When Lenny was young, we played games with sometimes less than 10 players. I was running them ragged back then because we didn't have the numbers like everyone else," he said. "Now we've got two teams going in one division, which we've never had before."
Leonard grew up with lacrosse but he was more of a fan than a player, at least not in a competitive sense. He says the knowledge his son brings back to share with young players helps grow the
sport locally and motivates the younger players to reach for the stars.
"I saw it played in Ontario when I was young. I never had the chance to play competitively like Lenny but once he started getting into it, I went and got my coaching certification and started coaching," he said. "So, what I taught him, he's getting better at. He's bringing back new skills and showing the younger guys, they're improving because of it."
BRINGING CANADIAN LACROSSE TO CZECHIA
Marshall, who leaves for the event today, is excited to experience the competition an international stage has
to offer, bringing together teams from across the globe. Selected to join the Canadian team based on his performance in provincial leagues, Marshall views the opportunity to compete against international opponents as an opportunity to improve his level of play again.
"When I see someone play better than me or at a higher level, I try to work my best to get myself to that level," he said. "More excited about the level of competition than anything."
When asked if he's nervous about the international stage or team chemistry, Marshall shrugs it off, saying he's confident he can rise to the occasion.
"I can't wait to get there. I'm just excited to meet my team and start playing."
Inspired by professional
players like Lyle Thompson, Marshall aims to emulate their success and, hopefully, one day follow in their footsteps as an NLL professional. When asked about his primary motivation, Marshall says he hopes to excel and set an example for his younger siblings.
"I'm mainly motivated by my little brothers trying to be better than me," said Marshall, laughing.
The significance of Marshall's participation in the tournament extends beyond personal achievement. It represents a milestone for lacrosse in Cape Breton and Eskasoni First Nation. With lacrosse traditionally being a niche sport in the region, Marshall's success inspires aspiring players and highlights the potential for growth and recognition of the sport in the area.
"We've never had a local guy go this far in lacrosse. We've had players from Halifax go far, but that's a big area. Lots of those boys go off to play for prep schools in the states," said Marshall's father Leonard. "But a player from Cape Breton, from Eskasoni, that's a big deal."
As Marshall looks ahead at his tournament schedule, competing against teams from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and England, he remains focused on the task at hand, determined to make the most of this opportunity on the international stage with the support of his family, coaches and community behind him.