Lacrosse has been a big part of Lucas Sanford’s life since 2016.
Lucas, who will be 17 in July, said he decided to give the sport a try after a friend of his who played it encouraged him to join.
By then Lucas had already been playing hockey for two years, and said he took to Lacrosse because it was similar to hockey and fast.
“It’s very physical too and there are not a lot of people playing it that I know.”
In February of this year, he got a big opportunity to travel across the world because of Lacrosse.
He was selected to be part of the Canadian U20 Lacrosse team to compete in the 2025 IIJL Commonwealth Cup in Altona, just outside of Melbourne, Australia held Feb. 15 to 18, 2025.
The team arrived a few days early so they could practice together before the tournament started and went on to win gold.
They defeated the Australian Box Lacrosse All-Stars 18–6.
“It was an outdoor arena so that was different,” Lucas said. “We played on a turf with boards around - like a hockey arena.”
While on the team, he played defence.
After the championship the team spent four days touring the area.
When asked how he was chosen for the team, he said he was playing for Zone 8 at the 2024 B.C. Summer Games and someone must have saw him playing there and recommended him for the national team.
The Lacrosse season got underway in Williams Lake in April and this year Lucas is helping out coaching the U13s to U17s.
Next year he hopes to play juniors, he said.
Presently in Grade 11 at Williams Lake Secondary School, Lucas is a hockey referee with his level 2. Often he can be seen refereeing the Mustangs home games.
Outside of Lacrosse and reffing he enjoys hanging out with friends, going camping with his grandpa and golfing now and then.
His favourite subjects in school this term are biology, law and outdoor recreation.
Lucas’s mom is Deanne Gunett and his father Colin Sanford, died after a long battle with cancer when Lucas was 11.
He is an older brother to Eli, 13, and talks about him with pride.
“”My brother was selected onto a U18 development high performance program in curling,” he said.
Williams Lake is a good place to live, he added.
“It’s small enough that you know lots of people.”
