About SFU Lacrosse

SFU Lacrosse, Representing Canada

Simon Fraser University (SFU) Lacrosse provides the Canadian student-athlete a unique opportunity to play at the top-level of collegiate club lacrosse, while they stay at home to attend a great institution. There is no better combination of respected academics, top-ranked athletics and overall college atmosphere in the country. With some of Canada's most innovative academic programs and cutting edge co-operative work placement programs, Simon Fraser Lacrosse alumni have an amazing network of professionals wherever they go. In addition to this, Simon Fraser Lacrosse offers:

  1. The only collegiate field lacrosse program in British Columbia.
  2. The only opportunity to play for a Canadian collegiate field lacrosse team in a US league.
  3. The only opportunity to compete for a National title (American or Canadian) as a member of a Canadian collegiate field lacrosse team.

SFU Lacrosse feels privileged and takes great pride in representing Canada as the sole Canadian member of the Men's College Lacrosse Association (MCLA). The MCLA features over 275 teams from across the US, and represents the highest level in collegiate club lacrosse.

Simon Fraser Lacrosse Philosophytop

The Simon Fraser name is synonymous with excellence and our lacrosse program works hard to maintain that standard. SFU Lacrosse offers a positive environment for the student-athlete to showcase their lacrosse skills at the highest level of collegiate club lacrosse, while they pursues their academic goals at one of the most prestigious and respected schools in North America. SFU Lacrosse has an eye for success not just on the field, but also in the classroom. The team competes at the highest levels of MCLA lacrosse each and every year, and our players and coaches expect to have a shot at a conference and national championships every season. SFU Lacrosse is here to win.

Team Historytop

The SFU Men's Field Lacrosse program was established in 1996 by team founder Mario Bianchin. The club competed in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) conference under a probationary status during that first year, compiling a 6-2 record. SFU became the only Canadian member of the PNCLL and United States Lacrosse Men's Division Intercollegiate Associates (USL MDIA) when that probationary status was lifted in 1997. The program remains the only Canadian member of the USL MDIA today, and continues to compete in the PNCLL, now one of nine regional USL MDIA conferences. Each season, one of Clan's goals is to win the PNCLL in order to gain an automatic bid to the Intercollegiate Associates (IA) National Championships, a championship that has grown from just 6 men’s teams in 1997, to 16 men's teams and 12 women's teams today. Through hard work, SFU Lacrosse has made the National Championship field an impressive seven times. The program continues to succeed as one of the top collegiate field lacrosse clubs in North America today.

Team Successtop

SFU Lacrosse continually offers its players the chance at conference titles, and more importantly, National titles. SFU Lacrosse has won a record six PNCLL conference championships, and competed at the MDIA National Championships, seven of the last eight years. Four out of those seven years (1997,1998,1999,2000), the Clan suffered lone season losses to eventual MDIA National Champions. In two other years (2001,2004), the Clan bowed out to eventual MDIA National Finalists.

SFU Lacrosse won the PNCLL conference championship five seasons in a row, from 1997 to 2001. In 1997 the program finished 5th in the Nation and in 1998 the Clan finished 3rd. In 1999, SFU took a lead into the fourth and final quarter of the USL MDIA National Championship game, only to lose their first game of the season. The Clan finished 2nd in the Nation that year, and 5th in the Nation in 2000. Each of those years, 1997 to 2000, the Clan's lone losses came at the hands of an eventual USL MDIA National Champion. Similarly in 2001, the Clan suffered a first-round defeat to an eventual USL MDIA National Finalist. Undermanned and riddled by injury, the program finished 13th.

A change in eligibility requirements by the USL MDIA resulted in Simon Fraser University having a shortened season for 2002. A 6-1 regular season was ultimately posted as administrative losses and the Clan were not eligible for post-season play. In 2003, SFU recaptured the PNCLL conference championship, and returned to the USL MDIA National Championships, finishing 8th in the Nation. The Clan suffered a first-round defeat to another eventual USL MDIA National Finalist, and finished 14th in the Nation in 2004. The program looks forward to continuing its winning traditions, and winning its first-ever MDIA National Championship in 2007.

Individual Success top

SFU Lacrosse provides the Canadian lacrosse athlete the opportunity to develop and excel at the top level of collegiate club lacrosse and beyond.

Indoor Lacrosse

Several SFU Alumni currently play in the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA), British Columbia's premier box lacrosse league, and many players on the current SFU roster play in the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League (BCJALL), one of the premier scouting leagues responsible for feeding the National Lacrosse League. SFU Lacrosse has also sent five players (Peter Morgan, Curtis Hodgson, Andrew Martin, Athen Yuen, and Patrick Corrigan) to the professional National Lacrosse League (NLL).

Field Lacrosse

SFU has contributed one player to the World Field Lacrosse Championships in 2006 as a member of the Netherlands Senior National Team (Sean Tyson) and one player to the World Field Lacrosse Championships in 2002 as a member of Canada's Senior National Team (Andrew Martin).

Simon Fraser has also had 3 of their players invited to the final evaluation camp of the 2008 U 19 Canadian National Field Lacrosse program, and 7 SFU players attended Team Canada's Men Senior National Team Training Camp in 2005.

For more of our players' contribution to the professional, and/or national team level, please visit our alumni section.

Is Simon Fraser a Varsity Lacrosse Program?top

No. Simon Fraser Lacrosse is an elite club program. The lacrosse team is supported by the Simon Fraser Recreation and Athletic Department and takes part in many athletic department activities.

As an elite club team, we have very high expectations of our athletes, and they have high expectations of the program. This is not typical club lacrosse. Simon Fraser Lacrosse provides a very competitive lacrosse experience, on a national scale, without the overwhelming pressure and time-commitment of big-time Division I varsity lacrosse. Our student-athletes are expected to dedicate themselves to the team, but they are given the time and latitude to focus on academics. Most turned down college varsity opportunities to come to school and play here for just that reason. The atmosphere on this team is much like a top Division III program, with a healthy combination of athletics, academics and social life.

While continuing to provide increased resources and support, Simon Fraser University is only able to provide limited financial funding to lacrosse. Players pay dues to provide a portion of the budget, with most of the funding coming from fundraising and sponsorships. As an elite club program, however, SFU Lacrosse players are not eligible for sport specific scholarships (although they may apply for general scholarships & bursaries, and, beginning in the Fall of 2008, the SFU Lacrosse Endowment Award).

What are some advantages that SFU Lacrosse offers over varsity programs?top

Academics

Simon Fraser Lacrosse alumni have an amazing network of contacts wherever they go and are attractive job applicants to their future employers in large part to the outstanding reputation Simon Fraser University has for their academic programs. As amazing of a sport as lacrosse is, it does not end up providing a career for most athletes.

Athletes who use lacrosse as a vehicle to gain an education from Simon Fraser University are more likely to be successful in their careers than those who attend varsity lacrosse programs from US schools with lesser known academic programs or from institutions that their future employers would not recognize.

Composed of six faculties across three campuses in Burnaby, Vancouver and Surrey, Simon Fraser University supports excellence and innovation in academic programs, promotes excellence in research, scholarship and teaching and is committed to attracting and supporting the best students and recruiting and retaining faculty who excel at teaching and research.

Cost

Finances are an important part of university life. Though SFU is not permitted to give athletic scholarships to the lacrosse team, player sponsorships are easily available to lessen the athletes cost of attending Simon Fraser as are applying for apply for general scholarships & bursaries, and beginning in the Fall of 2008 the SFU Lacrosse Endowment Award.

The following is an estimate of the cost of attending SFU and playing lacrosse for 1 year; it will be evident that even after a scholarship award from an American school, SFU is still significantly cheaper to attend.

Cost to Attend Simon Fraser University
**All cost estimates are based on 2 semesters of 12 credit hours per semester (24 in total).

Costs regarding SFU listed below are rough estimates, for the exact amount, please contact admissions or visit their up to date website found here.

CANADIAN APPLICANTS FROM OUTSIDE BC
Tuition and assorted fees: $5160
Residence with food (if applicable) $7300
Team dues: $3500
Airfare (2x/year) $1000
Total: $16 960 CAD **

CANADIAN APPLICANT FROM BC (outside the lower mainland)
Tuition and assorted fees: $5160
Residence with food (if applicable) $7300
Team dues: $3500
Total: $15 960 CAD **

CANADIAN APPLICANT FROM THE LOWER MAINLAND (still residing at home)
Tuition and assorted fees: $5160
Team dues: $3500
Total: $8660 CAD **

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT
Tuition and assorted fees: $15 165
Residence with food (if applicable) $7300
Team dues: $3500
Airfare (2x/year) $1000
Total: $26 965 CAD **

Cost to attend a private US institution
Based on a 50% scholarship (full scholarships are extremely rare)

AVERAGE US PRIVATE SCHOOL
Tuition: $20,000
Residence with food: $8000
Airfare (3x/year): $1500
Total: $29,500 USD

US School factors in 3 airfare trips vs 2 for SFU based on spring break. Due to SFU's trimester system, SFU does not get a spring break.

Play and contribute early for a National Championship Contender

Because of our on field success, SFU Lacrosse provides the lacrosse player with an opportunity to come in and contribute immediately as an MCLA National Championship contender: a rare case with any varsity program.

Simon Fraser also lets their freshmen contribute into starting positions, if they prove to be skilled enough. Quite a number of varsity lacrosse programs limit their starting positions to Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors while their Freshmen are limited to gaining experience in practices or getting clean up minutes.

We are Family

At Simon Fraser, Lacrosse is Family. With the majority of our roster consisting of players from Vancouver Island and the lower mainland of BC, our players get to play in front of their friends and family on a regular basis.

For those players who do not reside in the lower mainland our program schedules a weekend for families to travel out to SFU, visit the campus, take in a weekend of games, then meet with other local families, players and team management over a weekend of family bonding festivities including a team meet and greet social, dinner and brunch.

Lastly, at least once a week, one of our local families also hosts a team dinner night. This has become a greatly anticipated event for our players not only to get a home cooked meal, but to bond as a team and further grow the roots of our lacrosse family here at Simon Fraser.

Once you are a member of Simon Fraser Lacrosse, we make sure you and your family feels like you have always been a part of our extended lacrosse family.

How do Your Team Dues or Memberships Work?top

It costs about $7000 per player per year to run the team. The annual operating budget often exceeds over $200 000 per year, depending on the size of the team and amount of travel. That budget is comparable to the top Division 1 teams in the nation. Simon Fraser University only provides approx. $5000 toward the SFU Lacrosse program. The rest is generated through fundraising, corporate partnerships, and team dues.

Simon Fraser Lacrosse annual player dues are $3500 per player. Our dues are comparable to the other elite teams in the MCLA and are in Canadian funds. Everything including travel costs, food, accomodations, league fees and equipment (through our generous sponsors: Gait Lacrosse, Firstar Performance Apperal and Lowry Sales), coaching, administrative and operational expenses, for both fall ball and our regular playing season are included in each player's membership.

What does it cost to attend SFU?top

To view the current tuition fees, click here.

What are games and travel like?top

SFU Lacrosse plays its home games on a brand new artificial turf field, Terry Fox Field, at Simon Fraser University, unless otherwise noted. See the directions link for directions. Simon Fraser has a very impressive undefeated home record atop of Burnaby Mountain, due in large part to our great atmosphere of fans that attend and support their red and white. Home games are a popular event for the local lacrosse community in British Columbia to attend, attracting up and coming youth lacrosse players as well as our boisterous crowds from our dormitories and residences.

On the road the team travels either in charter buses or commercial flights. We want to provide a safe, efficient travel atmosphere that minimizes missed class time and allows our student-athletes to focus on their studies and the game at hand. The team dresses in travel attire on our road trips; golf shirts and khakis on bus trips and shirts and ties for commercial flights. Our management staff also takes care of all food and hotel arrangements while on the road, ensuring the players are getting the proper nutrition and a good night's rest.

The program alternates home dates with each of its PNCLL Division A opponents, playing at home one year, and traveling to play at the opponent's home field the next. The PNCLL conference championships are held in a different location each year, as determined by the PNCLL Board. The MCLA National Championships were held in St. Louis, Missouri, for eight straight years - from 1997 to 2004. The Championships then took place in Blaine, Minnesota in 2005, before moving to Dallas, Texas in 2006 and 2007. Out-of-conference games and locations are arranged between participating teams.

The League top

Simon Fraser Lacrosse is a member of the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association, the largest lacrosse league in the world. The MCLA is made up of 197 teams in 9 conferences that represent virtually every region of the country. Simon Fraser is a member of the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (Pacific Northwest). Other conferences include the Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse Conference (Northeast), the South Eastern Lacrosse Conference (Southeast), the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference (Midwest), the Lonestar Alliance (Texas), the Upper Midwest Lacrosse League (Upper Midwest), the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (Rocky Mountains), the West Coast Lacrosse League (West Coast) and Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association (Midwest). All of the programs in the MCLA are club teams that operate as "virtual varsity" programs. They are coached, highly structured teams, many with large budgets that compete on a national scale.

For the most part, MCLA teams offer the student-athlete a mix between traditional club lacrosse and the varsity experience, and are thus termed "virtual varsity" programs. At the top end of the MDIA, teams raise 6-figure budgets, have full-time coaches, practice 4-5 times a week, recruit outstanding student-athletes, and travel to play a national schedule. Some MCLA teams even schedule games and are successful against varsity opponents. In 2004, for instance, top MCLA programs have defeated NCAA Division III programs Whittier College and Colorado College as well as Division II Notre Dame dde Namur in the past.

All MCLA teams and players adhere to a unified set of rules and regulations equal to those of NCAA Division III Lacrosse. Teams are divided into an A and B division. Both divisions keep a Top-25 poll, compete for conference titles and a National Championship, and award All-Conference, All-American and Academic All-American honors. The MDIA thus offers a nice middle-ground between traditional club lacrosse and the varsity experience. The game looks and feels very much like varsity lacrosse. The competition is good, the level of play increases every year, and the media attention is growing.

You can go to collegelax.us for full coverage of the MCLA, which includes a very informative Frequently Asked Questions section.

Who does SFU play? top

SFU Lacrosse competes in the A division of the MCLA, in its regional conference, the PNCLL. The PNCLL features a total of seven division A teams from the Washington, Oregon and Montana area, including Gonzaga University, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon. SFU plays each of these teams once during the regular season, with the goal of making it to, and winning, the PNCLL Final Four conference championships. The winner of the PNCLL earns an automatic bid to compete at the IA National Championships, a right only the top-16 MCLA teams receive each year (the league's nine conference champions and seven at-large bids, as determined by the sixth and final regular-season MDIA Top-25 Poll.)

SFU has competed in seven of the last eight MDIA National Championships. At Nationals, SFU Lacrosse has had the opportunity to play such big-name schools as Arizona, Michigan, Texas, Stanford, Sonoma State, Cal-Berkley, Virginia Tech, Illinois, BYU, Texas A&M, Loyola Marymount, Colorado and Colorado State.

Simon Fraser Lacrosse also schedules quality non-conference opponents throughout the regular season in an effort to improve their level of competition and satisfy a league rule that requires teams to play at least three out-of-conference games in order to be eligible for an at-large bid.

The Clan will look to continue to travel and play outside of their conference in the future, as support and sponsorship continues to grow.

Do you recruit?top

Yes, although not in the same way that a varsity program does. The Coaching Staff gets out to as many high school games and recruiting camps and tournaments as possible in addition to hosting clinics and summer camps here in British Columbia. Current Co-Head Coaches, Brent Hoskins and Jeff Cathrea also founded and coach the Burnaby Mountain Selects Lacrosse Club, a program established in 2006 to develop elite high school field lacrosse athletes and better prepare them for lacrosse and academics at the collegiate level. Many of the players who graduate from the Burnaby Mountain Selects Program make the transition into the collegiate field lacrosse program at SFU after graduation. The Coaching Staff maintains contact with high school coaches around the country constantly getting the word out about SFU Lacrosse. The difference between recruiting at SFU vs. varsity teams is that recruiters at SFU do not proactively go after potential players. SFU Lacrosse wants student-athletes who are: 1. academically qualified to attend Simon Fraser, 2. athletically able to contribute at the college level, and 3. really want to come to SFU. To that end, Coaches do not hard-sell anyone on coming to SFU. Student-athletes are encouraged to end up in the best situation for them - athletically, academically and socially.

Despite limitations (no scholarships and limited admissions influence), the Lacrosse program receives daily inquiries from many high school players who are interested in Simon Fraser. About half of the current roster resides from British Columbia with the other half traveling to SFU from across Canada and the United States. Many current student-athletes turned down varsity opportunities at other institutions in order to play and go to school at Simon Fraser University. Athletically SFU are very similar to mid-level Division I program or a top-level Division II or III program.

Simon Fraser Lacrosse is always looking for quality lacrosse players and students who have the ability to compete at the collegiate level. If you are a high school senior or junior who is interested in attending SFU, or you are planning a campus visit, we would be happy to tour our facilities and discuss the lacrosse program and the University in detail with you and your parents. Contact Coach Cathrea through the Recruiting page on the team website or by phone at (604-309-2944).

How do I get into SFU?top

To get into SFU, the potential SFU Lacrosse player must apply on-line Before applying it is a great idea to check the admission requirements that are applicable to where you attended high school.

Check the Admission requirements.

The Guaranteed Acceptance Offer

If you are graduating from a Canadian high school, you are guaranteed admission to SFU for most academic programs (see detailed listhere ) , and priority course registration if you have at least 75% in the required grade 12 course load outlined in the Admission requirements.

For more info on SFU's Admission Guarantee click here

If you do not meet these projected minimum academic admission requirements, you are still encouraged to apply, under the diverse qualifications admission process.

Application Deadline Dates
September Semester Apply by April 30
September Semester Early Acceptance Deadline Apply from November 1st to February 28th
January Semester Apply by September 30th
May Semester Apply by February 28th

For assistant with this process, please contact Coach Cathrea and he will instruct you on how to apply under this procedure correctly. To speak to an academic advisor about any concerns you may have, contact our athletic admissions advisor Mike Peragine by email at michelep@sfu.ca or call at 778-782-7382.

Can the team help me get admitted to SFU?top

Yes. If you are an outstanding student who is very interested in the opportunities at Simon Fraser, team advisors are happy to guide you through the admissions process.Ê Team Advisors can help to make sure you are in contact with admission and recruitment liaisons who can ensure that you are eligible to apply to Simon Fraser University. Understand that the Simon Fraser staff can offer no guarantees of admission, and that academic qualifications remain the primary pre-requisite. If you are interested in going to school at SFU and playing lacrosse for one of the most successful collegiate lacrosse programs in North America, please fill out the recruiting questionnaire on this website. That's the first step.

What are the player eligibility requirements?top

According to MCLA rules, all of our student-athletes must follow the same NCAA rules that govern NCAA varsity athletes at the Division III level. This means that in order to play you must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and carry at least 12 credit hours in the Spring (playing) semester. Students in their final academic semester may only carry less than 12 credit hours if they are taking the courses that they require to graduate. All players must be undergraduate students, or if you are a graduate student, then you must have done your undergraduate work at Simon Fraser University. Finally, NCAA Division III rules state that you have a total of four years over the course of 10 semesters to play a specific sport, like lacrosse. This is unlike NCAA Division I rules that state you must complete your four years of playing eligibility within five years of your first day of classes. Finally, you cannot be playing pro lacrosse to be eligible to play at Simon Fraser.

What kind of coaching philosophy does the staff have?top

Co-Head Coaches, Brent Hoskins & Jeff Cathrea bring a wealth of coaching experience (3 as SFU's Head Coaches) to their job. A qualified staff of associate coaches helps to provide an opportunity to excel as a player and as person within a strong team atmosphere.

While personnel and changing trends in college lacrosse may change the specifics of what the team is running, a few things remain consistent. Simon Fraser lacrosse has always been known as a highly explosive offensive team, and that tradition will not change any time soon.

Our coaching staff has also put a strong emphasis on coaching defensive technique and a team first philosophy. As a result the team has established itself as one of the top defensive teams in the MCLA. In addition, Simon Fraser teams are known for being offensively explosive, fit and athletic as well as frustratingly physical. Nobody trains more or works harder.

The Simon Fraser coaching philosophy is:

First, to promote a team-first atmosphere consisting of sacrifice and work ethic, of being committed to their teammates, coaches and management, and having a level of accountability to oneself, to their teammates and the management.

And, second, within a family atmosphere to provide the coaching and resources necessary to allow each individual player to reach his full potential.

How can I join the team?top

All interested lacrosse student-athletes are asked to contact Coach Cathrea well in advance of application deadlines and are ideally in contact with the coaching staff before their senior year of high school. Maintaining opportunity is critical to all long-term success and the Coaching Staff is in contact with many athletes during their Sophomore and Junior year of high school (Grade 10 & 11) to provide guidance on course selection and grade requirements. Team tryouts begin in early September. The Fall season runs from September through early December and includes 3 practices per week and scrimmages against quality opponents. The first cut is one week into practice, and the final cut comes in October. Recently, tryouts have become very competitive, with 60+ attending in the first week. The team typically carries 30-35 players per season.

What is the commitment level required to play?top

If you love lacrosse and have a great work ethic, Simon Fraser Lacrosse will be the perfect fit for you.

The program is very structured and demands a huge commitment to earn the privilege of wearing the red and white.

In the Fall Semester, the team practices and trains 3 days a week, and schedules scrimmages, in preparation for the Spring/playing semester. In the Spring Semester, practices run 3-4 days a week, with games (including road-trip games) on weekends.

Practices take place each morning before classes commence, allowing student athletes to have the rest of their day to dedicate to their classes and studying.

Lacrosse athletes are all expected to participate in a minimum of 3 hours of strength and conditioning per week throughout the season at the SFU Lacrosse Club's official training facility.

The lacrosse program also has mandatory study hall sessions in each semester which last for two hours and run twice a week to ensure classroom goals are being accomplished in addition to on-field goals.

The Fall schedule is crucial as the team gets to know incoming players, learns to work together, learns the systems, and undergoes conditioning for a tough regular season. After the holiday break the team holds a week long training camp in January to kick off the Spring season. The Spring season kicks off in mid February with the PNCLL Conference Championships being held late April and the MCLA National Championships occurring in mid May.

The goals set both on and off the field at Simon Fraser University are extremely high. The school and lacrosse program attract student-athletes from across North America who expect nothing but excellence in academics and athletics. While all players are student-athletes, both the 'student' and the 'athlete' labels are equally important to lacrosse team members.

Players want to excel in their pursuit of establishing their careers equally as much as winning a national championship.

In order to achieve these goals, each athlete adopts a team first attitude consisting of sacrifice and work ethic, of being committed to their teammates, coaches and management, and having a level of accountability to oneself, to their teammates and the management.

Who do I contact for more information?top

If you would like more information on Simon Fraser University, the university's field lacrosse program, and/or the application procedures, please view the contacts page on this site, or take a moment to fill out the boxes in our player recruitment section. You can also use the links page to find out more about the PNCLL and the MCLA. Thank you.


Go to straight to the recruiting information page.

Email Jeff Cathrea directly.