The look on Jim Hartshorne鈥檚 face, as the party started to spill out of the dressing room and into late Friday night, said it all.
Eight years after taking control, the Victoria Shamrocks owner, president and governor secured his first Mann Cup by way of a decisive 12-6 win over the Peterborough Lakers at The Q Centre in Colwood.
鈥淭his was a great win. The trip took eight years and culminated with such a great lacrosse team that Chris [general manager Chris Welch] put together,鈥� said an elated Hartshorne. 鈥淭he coaching staff, all four coaches, the players and Rod [Wade, the assistant GM].
鈥淚t鈥檚 just an amazing team effort from top to bottom, with the training staff and the volunteers. It鈥檚 unbelievable to think how many people worked on this to win.鈥�
Hartshorne鈥檚 team brought the national senior lacrosse championship to Victoria for the ninth time.
鈥淟ike I said to Chris, it鈥檚 just the first and as far as I鈥檓 concerned, we鈥檝e got the motive and now results [to continue]. We know how to do it,鈥� said Hartshorne, who wasn鈥檛 committing yet to how the team would tackle 2016. 鈥淭he guys want to play here, they like Victoria, love the fans. I鈥檓 just so proud of the coaching staff and Chris and how he put it together.鈥�
Key additions included local product Aaron Bold in goal, Dan Dawson, Rory Smith, Daryl Veltman and Steve Priolo. Dan MacRae and Cory Conway returned to the club after a year away.
鈥淭he elite lacrosse system is East and West and you have to compete,鈥� Hartshorne said of bringing in players to solidify the victorious season.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of the players we have locally 鈥� we have 15. So it鈥檚 not an overabundance of guys we brought in, but you have to be able to
get elite players to play.
鈥淭hey want to come to Victoria and they like winning and the tradition. There are two places that people like to play in sa国际传媒, Peterborough and Victoria and they both played out this year [in the Mann Cup final].鈥�
And Hartshorne loved the result: 鈥淚t was a great win. I鈥檓 a low-key kind of guy. I like to be in the background. I love putting teams together and watching them,鈥� he said.
鈥淐hris [Welch] deserves tremendous credit with Rod [Wade] and the coaching staff, players, trainers, volunteers 鈥� everybody worked real hard. It鈥檚 neat to watch that and that鈥檚 what makes me happy.鈥�
CLOVER POINTS: While it was the first Mann Cup win for head man Bob Heyes and assistants Jordan Sundher and Dave Lowdon as coaches, all had won the treasured trophy as players 鈥� Heyes and Lowdon twice and Sundher once. Assistant Art Webster has won five as either a player or coach.
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