After a year away from the game, Casey Jackson has slid back into a comfortable position on the lacrosse floor.
鈥淏ody wise, it was a little tough,鈥� said the Victoria Shamrocks newcomer, who sat out the 2016 Western Lacrosse Association season after being traded from the Burnaby Lakers to the Nanaimo Timbermen. 鈥淚 was actually surprised how easy it was to come back and play, maybe because I鈥檝e played lacrosse all my life growing up, so hands-wise, skills-wise it was fine.
鈥淚 think body-wise it was a little harder than I thought it was going to be,鈥� added Jackson, who had two goals in his first two periods of his first game as a Shamrock when he pulled a hamstring to start the third.
He sat out the next three games before getting back in last weekend and adding nine points (including five goals) over two outings.
鈥淭hat kind of put a damper on the excitement of that first game coming back, but I鈥檓 back in the swing of things now,鈥� said Jackson, a former Junior Shamrock who eventually landed in Burnaby with the Lakers where he produced 158 points in 53 regular-season games over four seasons. He also recorded 26 points in 12 playoff appearances.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been great,鈥� he said of his return to his native Victoria, where he works as a technician with Telus. 鈥淚 love being back here and I can鈥檛 complain with the cast around me, it makes my job a lot easier.鈥�
Jackson and the 5-1 Shamrocks get back to action tonight at 7:30 at The Q Centre against the 2-3 New Westminster Salmonbellies.
As a junior, Jackson spent four years wearing the clover and accumulated 157 points in 44 games.
His role now is of a secondary scorer and, with 11 points in his three games, he is providing a viable option for the Shamrocks.
鈥淚f he can be a goal-a-game guy, or two-to-three point-a-game guy that鈥檚 all we鈥檙e looking for,鈥� said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes. 鈥淚f you can contribute differently, when other guys are shut down, that鈥檚 all we want.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about depth and different guys to attack. He鈥檚 got an outside shot and he can play inside as well and that offers up a different dimension on offence.鈥�
The 27-year-old was acquired in a trade from Nanaimo for a second-round pick in 2018.
鈥淚 was super excited. I called my family right away because they hadn鈥檛 seen me play in a long time. They got to see me maybe one game a year when I was playing with Burnaby,鈥� said Jackson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been nice to come back and put the green back on because I grew up watching these guys play. It鈥檚 a luxury to come back and play with them now.鈥�
That attitude isn鈥檛 lost on the organization.
鈥淗e鈥檚 had a smile on his face from Day 1 鈥� he just loves being here,鈥� said Heyes. 鈥淏eing a Victoria guy and not really knowing if there would be an opportunity to play here 鈥� we were able to get him and he鈥檚 been good.鈥�
And the year off did not sway the Shamrocks away from making the deal.
鈥淚t was nice we got the deal done early, so he got mentally prepared and reinvigorated about lacrosse,鈥� said Heyes.
Jackson has accepted that role of a secondary scorer and is making the best of it.
鈥淚鈥檒l pretty much play wherever the coaches want me or need me,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s far as we can go, that鈥檚 where I want to go, obviously. Anything to help the team out, I鈥檒l do it.鈥�
