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Marshal King鈥檚 reaction to his selection for Team sa国际传媒鈥檚 entry into the 2016 FIL U19 Men鈥檚 World Championship was one of glee.
鈥淚 received an email at school, dropped my phone and I was freaking out and called my parents immediately, screaming into the phone,鈥� the 18-year-old recalled of the original announcement in February.
The excitement hasn鈥檛 subsided as the tournament, featuring 14 teams in three divisions, begins next week, July 7-16, in Coquitlam.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited. It鈥檚 an honour and it鈥檚 a world-class stage,鈥� said the Drexel University and Junior Shamrock product.
鈥淚t鈥檚 everything you think about growing up as a kid in lacrosse 鈥� playing for Team sa国际传媒. Those are the guys on teams that are killing it, running the show in all the pro leagues. That鈥檚 the level that everyone wants to make it to in their life and it鈥檚 an honour that I get to play there.鈥�
He is following in the footsteps of his brother Jesse King, who won gold with the sa国际传媒鈥檚 men鈥檚 team two years ago.
鈥淓specially having my brother go through the process with two Team sa国际传媒 teams,鈥� Marshal King said.
鈥淓ver since he stepped on the field with Team sa国际传媒, that鈥檚 all I鈥檝e ever wanted to do. He鈥檚 a big influence. I went to Denver when he played with the men鈥檚 team to watch them pull off what nobody expected 鈥� for sa国际传媒 to win.鈥�
At the U19 championship, sa国际传媒 will face a tough task in attempting to knock off the powerhouse Team U.S.A., which has won seven straight at this level dating back to 1988.
鈥淲e have a pretty good squad this year and I think we鈥檙e going to open some eyes and make a run,鈥� said King, who returned from Drexel at the start of the month and missed a good portion of the Juniors Shamrocks鈥� season, which could end this weekend.
鈥淚t was an exciting year,鈥� he said of the Drexel Dragons. 鈥淚 got a lot of playing time. We obviously didn鈥檛 have that great of a season, but we haven鈥檛 graduated a lot of guys, so we have a lot of potential for next year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been tough here [Junior Shamrocks]. I think I counted 13 or 14 of us on this box team who played in NCAA through May. I didn鈥檛 get here until the start of June, and it kills you coming this late and trying to immediately adjust from field to the box game.鈥�
鈥淢arshal is a very gifted offensive player,鈥� said Junior Shamrocks head coach Walt Christianson. 鈥淭his year and last year, he鈥檚 been growing into his body, getting some size. He鈥檚 almost six-foot-four now and I think he鈥檒l still grow. Once he puts on more weight, he鈥檒l be even more dynamic.
鈥淢issing the first half here, because of his late arrival from Drexel, was hard on him because the first few games he had to jump right in. The last four or five games he鈥檚 been one of our better offensive players. He鈥檚 a smart kid, a natural point man on the power play, which is hard to find, and he鈥檚 a really good shooter. For him to make that team is a real feather in his cap.鈥�
As for King, he looks forward to next week, especially with the tournament on the mainland.
鈥淥bviously, I鈥檓 nervous, but, at the same time, I鈥檓 collected and so excited to go. There will be a lot of people there and it will be a big test. Most are expecting the two of us [sa国际传媒 and the U.S.] to be in the final.
鈥淚 already have all my friends telling me they are going to come. Obviously, we will have that home-field advantage for us, with all the Canadian fans, and that鈥檒l make it that much more fun knowing you鈥檙e playing in front of the people that have supported you the whole way.鈥�
sa国际传媒 鈥� in the Blue Division with the U.S., Australia, England and the Iroquois Nationals 鈥� opens against the Americans on July 7 at 7:30 p.m. after opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m.
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IN THE BASKET: King is the only local on sa国际传媒, but Mathieu Jung of Duncan, who plays Junior A in Nanaimo, is playing for China. Hong Kong head coach Scott Browning is from Victoria, as is his goalie coach, Bert Marshall. Jordan Wong of Victoria is the development director for Hong Kong lacrosse.
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