Major Series Lacrosse League 2022 draftees (from left) Caleb Creasor, Brett Handsor, Cole Hanrahan, and Jason Knox. (Photos courtesy of LeHigh University, John Hopkins University, Trent University, and Ohio State University respectively.)
Four young Huntsville natives—Caleb Creasor, Brett Handsor, Cole Hanrahan, and Jason Knox—were recently drafted into the Major Series Lacrosse league. The MSL is Ontario’s Senior A box lacrosse league and comprises six teams: Brooklin Lacrosse Club, Cobourg Nissan Kodiaks, Oakville Rock, Owen Sound Lacrosse, Peterborough Lakers, and Six Nations Chiefs.
They were four out of just 30 draft picks chosen for the Major Series. Knox and Handsor were drafted for the Oakville Rock and Creasor and Hanrahan for the Peterborough Lakers.
“These four kids from the same team in a little town got chosen out of literally hundreds of prospects,” says Kevin Knox, the former longtime coach of these four athletes and father of Jason Knox. “It’s an anomaly. It’s very exciting and I’m very proud of them.”
The four men grew up together playing on the same Huntsville minor league team, coached by Knox, from the ages of five and six until they were sixteen to seventeen years old.
After playing in Huntsville, all four went on to play Junior A lacrosse, which is the highest level of lacrosse for the 16-21 age group in Ontario.
“I’m proud of them for continuing to pursue their passion,” Knox says.
After playing Junior A, they all sought education through lacrosse scholarships: Knox is at Ohio State University, Creasor at LeHigh University, Handsor at John Hopkins University, and Hanrahan at Trent University.
Knox reminisces on the past of these four men’s lacrosse careers and the paths they took to get where they are today: “When they are little kids, you never know what they’re gonna do,” he says. “As they started playing, I was hoping they would continue their career at least on towards scholastic. So it was so nice to see all of them get an education out of it using the skills that I had taught them from six years old.”
Knox recommends lacrosse to any young athlete, not only for its physical benefits, but for its social and mental aspects as well. Lacrosse improves dexterity, hand-eye coordination, strength, and stamina, whilst teaching discipline, teamwork, and resilience.
“In the whole process, from little kids until now, they learn a lot about life’s lessons,” Knox says. “They don’t win every game. When they lose at sports, especially at a high-level competitive sport, they can take those lessons that they’ve learned through the game of lacrosse and transfer that into all parts of their life. When they get knocked down, they know they’re going to get back up again.”
Knox also insists that in order to reach the same skill level and height of success as these four athletes, dedication to the sport is the most important attribute to have.
“I can’t recall the amount of times I told them not to throw the ball around in the house,” he chuckles, thinking back to the four men’s childhoods. “Quite often, you’d see them walking wherever—to go to the park, downtown to meet friends—and they’d always have their stick in their hand. If lacrosse is something you want to do, you love it and you take the stick everywhere.”
The success of these four men is something the community can be proud of.
“It’s great to see these four achieve what they’ve achieved. I know it took them a lot of dedication and listening to the coach!” Knox beams. “It’s so nice to see all that work they’ve put in has come to fruition.”
These four athletes’ dedication and perseverance have carried them from humble beginnings playing together as children to successful lacrosse careers as adults, and is sure to carry them even further into bright and accomplished futures.
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Brenda Begg says
Congratulations, Brett! Congratulations, Caleb, Cole, and Jason.