UNB Buccaneers engage in offseason meetings

The following story appeared in the Wednesday, February 10, 2016 issue of The Brunswickan. 

Growth is a key theme of the UNB Buccaneers lacrosse team’s current offseason.

“Our goals are to grow the program, generate notoriety and continue getting better with the hopes of competing for a championship next year,” said Evan Richtsfeld, the team’s manager and director.

Richtsfeld and head coach Matt Mallet were joined by Buccaneers Lacrosse Academy president Chris Gallop and some UNB players as they recently sat down with the Brunswickan to discuss the program and its aspirations.

After holding the position on an interim basis last year when previous bench boss Ben Teasdale resigned due to other commitments, Mallet was named the Maritime University Field Lacrosse Team’s Coach of the Year and was kept on as head coach.

Under Mallet’s guidance, the Buccaneers finished the 2015 season with a 5-5 record before falling to the Dalhousie Tigers in the league semifinals. That’s a big step forward after a winless first season in 2013.

Mallet hopes to build off the team’s progress thus far.

“We want to host the championship tournament here at UNB because our university probably has the strongest fan base at home,” he said. “It would be nice to host the championship and win it at home.”

Mallet said the Buccaneers proved they could beat tough teams last season, which helps prove UNB’s case for hosting the championship weekend.

As for being named Coach of the Year, Mallet said it was surprising.

“I didn’t think I would win it compared to the other coaches who have been at it longer than I have,” he said. “I kind of just stepped into [the role].”

The fact Mallet’s father, Wayne, coached the former UNB Generals lacrosse team and never won Coach of the Year makes the honour more special for the younger Mallet.

“It’s a good honour,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

Richtsfeld said it was an easy decision to appoint Mallet as UNB’s new head coach.

“He’s been by far the most committed person we’ve had for attracting players to the program,” he said.

When it comes to the Buccaneers’ hopes for growth, Richtsfeld said the organization initially recruited as many experienced players from on campus as possible.

Now, he said, the Buccaneers are more focused on community outreach and getting younger athletes interested in the sport by visiting schools, as well as attracting top players from around the Maritimes.

“We’re doing winter training sessions every Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon at the South Gym on the UNB campus,” said Richtsfeld.

Richtsfeld also encouraged anyone interested to help the Buccaneers off the field to contact the team via Facebook or Twitter or by emailing [email protected].

For Gallop, the Buccaneers’ inclusion of younger athletes provides an alternative to other sports and an avenue to possibly play university lacrosse in the future.

“Even with our younger guys who are eight, nine and ten years old, they may not be thinking post-secondary, but it’s cool to see and learn from university guys who have great knowledge,” he said.

Gallop said achieving the growth Richtsfeld and Mallet speak of means doing more fundraising to keep the program financially sustainable and allow Mallet and the players to focus on coaching and playing.

However, when Richtsfeld was asked if there’s any interest in the lacrosse league joining the AUS, he said it may not happen right away because lacrosse isn’t recognized as a varsity sport in Canada except in Ontario, where there still aren’t many varsity teams.

“We have a long ways to go before we see that,” he said. “A program must prove it’s feasible to be recognized as a varsity sport.”