Travis Cornwall picks up where brother Jeff left off
Travis Cornwall joins team — and picks up where brother Jeff left off
Travis Cornwall and Jeff Cornwall were joined at the hip by a lacrosse stick while growing up.
They are not twins, but they look like they could be, points out Saskatchewan Rush captain Chris Corbeil.
They just look and play that way. Now that Travis Cornwall is taking a spot on the Rush defensive corps, he’s ready to pick up where his younger sibling left off. Travis is helping to fill the void left by his brother Jeff ’s one-year sabbatical. Jeff is away pursuing his firefighting career, and is currently in his probation period with his new job.
“I loved playing against my brother when he was on the (Rush) team, just being out there with him,” Travis Cornwall said. “That was awesome. It was definitely a team where, if you were going to make a mistake, they would capitalize on it and it made it really tough to play against them.”
As a Cornwall, he is the second coming on the Rush. He hopes to be someday reunited with his brother on the playing field.
“I’ve said it before, that’s probably the only thing that could have made this better,” Travis says of becoming a new member of the Rush, who’ll play their National Lacrosse League season home-opener Saturday (7:30 p.m.) against the San Diego Seals.
“Saskatchewan’s always been a team that I’ve admired, the coaching staff and management. It would have made it better if he was here this year but hopefully we can play together next year.”
The two brothers last played together in 2011.
“It’s been a long time,” Travis said. He is 16 months older than Jeff, so the brothers played minor lacrosse together every second season when they would be both in the same age category.
Travis Cornwall played a variety of sports growing up, playing football until age 15 and soccer until 11. He also played basketball and volleyball.
“Lacrosse took over when I was around 15-16,” he recalled.
“Lacrosse was always it.”
NATURAL COMPARISON
Travis Cornwall says it’s “tough” to compare himself to Jeff.
“We obviously both play the same position and we like to run the floor,” Travis said. “Growing up, I always had better hands than he did but, lately, he’s been scoring a lot of goals. My brother is probably faster this last little bit, but it’s close.”
Playing minor lacrosse together and then junior lacrosse in B.C., Travis says he was “more of an offensive player and (Jeff ) was more of a defensive player so there wasn’t much comparison there.”
Travis suggested it’s “more like a symbiotic relationship” than a competitive rivalry.
“We’re working together to get better,” he said. “That’s what it was always about.”
When asked to compare the Cornwall brothers, Rush head coach and GM Derek Keenan says they are very similar in terms of athleticism — both fast and strong.
“Travis probably has a little better skills, actually, but Jeff might be a bit of a better defender,” Keenan said. “Travis will fit into our system really well because he’s got good feet and he’s fast. He’s familiar with a lot of the players as well, because he’s from Coquitlam. He’ll fit in well.”
Travis Cornwall was a restricted free agent in the off-season with the newly named Vancouver Warriors. He said he had a couple of discussions with Keenan during the off-season about possibly signing in Saskatchewan, “but he told me that wasn’t really a possibility just based on that Vancouver would sign me back.
“He said he might look into trading for me. I wasn’t surprised (by the trade). He was also in contact with my brother.”
In the meantime, Jeff Cornwall has been placed on the Rush’s NLL protected list while he sits out the season during his probation period with his new firefighting job. Fellow firefighter Ryan Dilks has been placed on the team’s holdout list.
“That’s why we brought Travis in,” Keenan said.
“When you lose those two, and you lose (San Diego Seals expansion draft pick Adrian) Sorinchetti, that’s three pretty key guys and then you’re counting on three almost brand-new guys — guys who haven’t played a lot. You bring in a veteran guy who I think will fit very well with our system.”
Growing up, I always had better hands than he did but, lately, he’s been scoring a lot of goals. My brother is probably faster this last little bit, but it’s close.