‘A lot of pressure’
Cambridge lacrosse star following in footsteps of famous grandfather
David Anderson feels the eyes on him when he grips his lacrosse stick.
The extra attention comes with the territory when you’re the grandson of lacrosse legend Gaylord Powless.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” said the Cambridge resident. “It’s definitely a big weight on me but I have no problem carrying it. It comes with great honour and I’m just happy to have him as a family member.”
Powless is synonymous with the sport. On the pitch he was unstoppable, winning four Minto Cups before dominating the professional and senior amateur ranks. He’s one of a few lacrosse players inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and is often referred to as the Wayne Gretzky of lacrosse for his impact on the sport both as a player and ambassador.
“He is my biggest role model,” said Anderson, who like his grandfather is a Six Nations Mohawk. “He has always been someone I looked up to and he makes me want to be the best I can.”
Anderson was only a baby when his grandfather passed away at the age of 54. But he still feels his presence.
“Ever since I was a little kid I’ve had dreams about him,” he said. “I always feel like he’s still with me.”
The 16-year-old is carving quite a path of his own.
This past weekend, he represented Canada in an Under-17 showcase against the Iroquois Nationals. The Canucks won 25-7 in the warm-up game for the Heritage Cup between the men’s national squad and the United States at the FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton.
“He’s a big, strong kid that is athletic and he can put the ball in the net,” said U-17 coach Josh Sanderson. “When you’re related to a guy like Gaylord … there is probably pressure to be good. He worked hard and played well.”
Anderson is a dual sport athlete. In recent years he has played lacrosse for the Jr. B Guelph Regals during the spring and summer. Come fall, he laces up his skates to play hockey, most recently for the Cambridge Hawks. This past June the London Knights chose him in the 10th round of the Ontario Hockey League draft.
He still hasn’t decided which sport to focus on.
Right now, he’s playing both at Culver Military Academy in Indiana after attending Cambridge’s St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School for the past two years.
And he has his plan mapped out.
First he wants to graduate from high school and get into an Ivy League school where he can play lacrosse or hockey (or both) and earn a degree in business.
He’d like to continue to represent Canada and Ontario in box or field lacrosse and, ultimately, pursue a professional career either in the National Lacrosse League or National Hockey League.
The only thing missing through this exciting ride is his grandfather in the stands.
“I’ve progressed a lot and turned into a better man and athlete just like him,” he said. “I think through the years he would have corrected me quite a bit but I think now he’d be pretty proud of me and where I am today.”