Withers ready for the big dance
Growing up Jake Withers used to travel with a friend’s family to see Rochester Knighthawks games at the Blue Cross Arena.
He imagined himself one day playing on that floor as a National Lacrosse League player.
Starting Saturday night he’ll no longer have to imagine it.
The Peterborough minor lacrosse product and faceoff whiz for the Century 21 Lakers makes his NLL debut with the Knighthawks when they host the Calgary Roughnecks. Withers was the Knighthawks’ first pick, second overall in the NLL draft in September.
“It’s kind of a surreal feeling,” Withers said. “I feel like when I first run out there to stand for the national anthem it’s going to be something I’ve dreamed about my whole life.”
The Peterborough connections that night will be plenty. Zach Currier was selected by Calgary right behind Withers at third overall and he’ll debut against his brother Josh who is entering his second season with Rochester. Lakers coach Mike Hasen will be behind the Rochester bench, Matt Vinc will be in goal and other Lakers with Rochester include Cory Vitarelli, Eric Shewell and Ian Llord. Holden Cattoni and Curtis Dickson will be in Calgary’s lineup.
This is not Withers’s first game of professional lacrosse. After graduating from Ohio State University in the spring, after starring for the Buckeyes, he played nine pro field lacrosse games for the Atlanta Blaze of Major League Lacrosse. He’s also played with and against pros in the MSL for two years. But this is different.
“It’s exciting to play in college and to play in front of your hometown in Peterborough in the MSL. Every kid’s dream, in my opinion, is to make it to the big dance which is the NLL,” Withers said.
“The field game is predominantly American. We grow up here idolizing the guys in the NLL and the indoor game. We’re slowly adopting the field game and you can see that with Canadian kids’ successes in the NCAA over the past five to eight years but it’s the NLL or die or box lacrosse or die. That’s what sets us apart. No disrespect to the MLL, it’s a great league too, but in my opinion making it to the pinnacle of the sport means playing in the NLL.”
Having so many Lakers’ connections in Rochester has eased his transition to the NLL.
“I’ve been coached by Hazer the past two summers,” Withers said. “He’s a great coach and at the same time a great guy who is really friendly and helpful. In that sense, he’s made it really easy to transition to the NLL and let me know exactly what they’re looking for and how to achieve that. That really helped.
“Having guys I’ve grown up playing with like Eric Shewell and Josh Currier and guys I’ve played with along the way like some of the St. Catharines guys has really helped me to make a smooth transition from the summer league to the NLL. I’ve had the privilege of learning from these guys the past two summers. I continuously try to learn from them every time I’m on the floor with them. Being able to approach them not only as a teammate but as a friend makes it a lot easier.”