THE ROCK AND A PERMANENT PLACE
Colin Doyle’s passion play was lacrosse, and he will be rewarded by having his jersey retired Saturday,
When Colin Doyle watches his jersey being retired Saturday at the Air Canada Centre, prior to the Toronto Rock game against Calgary, he believes he “will feel everything.” That’s because the 39-year-old lacrosse legend has done just about everything there is to do in his sport.
“I’m nervous, I’m excited, I’ll probably be a bit sad . . . but it will allow me to reflect on my career, which I haven’t done yet,” Doyle said.
Doyle, 39, a native of Kitchener, retired in November as a six-time National Lacrosse League champion. His accomplishments and contributions to the sport are not easily measured: he was the NLL’s rookie of the year, back in 1998, when the Rock were the Ontario Raiders. He went on to become the NLL’s MVP and playoff MVP awards and holds multiple titles in box and field lacrosse. He retired as the Rock’s franchise leader in goals (440), assists (664), points (1,104) and games played (218), and finished his NLL career with 1,384 points, third highest in league history.
Doyle admits he was never a great runner, nor the most robust, intimidating player, but those who know the sport say he did all the things on a lacrosse field that Wayne Gretzky did on the ice.
At the moment, much of that hasn’t “sunk in” yet for the father of three — daughters Lyla, 3, London, 6, and Brooklyn, 9.
“Saturday night will be about the fans,” he says. “Sharing this (jersey retirement) with them, with my family, and my friends, I couldn’t ask for more.”
Doyle is particularly thankful for an understanding wife. “She never hindered me from carrying this (career) on,” he said of his wife, Stacey, whom he met while both were attending Wilfrid Laurier University in the late 1990s. “We are not millionaires, we still carry on with our daily lives, carry on with a household and mortgage, with kids . . . she’s been fully supportive and that’s a great sacrifice.”
Doyle also wants to pay tribute to his father, Pat, and mother, Fran, who also allowed him to pursue his lacrosse passion.
“They were totally supportive of my passion, the never ever once questioned why I wanted to be a pro lacrosse player. It’s the greatest gift parents can pass along to their kids, allowing them to be themselves,” Doyle said.
“I never wanted anything more than to play lacrosse. I played one practice, or one game, and I knew right there lacrosse was what I loved, and my passion just grew more and more with the opportunities that came my way.”
Doyle was given a clean bill of health at this time last year, after he had suffered a serious neck injury. He underwent a procedure to repair a displaced vertebra, and a fracture in his neck, but says his mind was made up to end his career before the injury.
He works now as a program director at the Rock’s Oakville academy, coaching and working with players, from elite prospects to beginners.
Some of his greatest memories centre on the last-second goal he scored to send the Rock to the 2000 NLL championship, and the 2005 championship run, in which he got to play with backup goalie Phil Wetherup, the best man at his wedding, and Aaron Wilson, his next-door neighbour growing up in Kitchener.
“Not many guys can say that,” Doyle said about playing with special friends. “But I don’t watch games now and get eager to play again. My competitive tank has been emptied, simple as that.”