Bamford brings size and strength to team

by Gary Ahuja

A blend of size, strength, speed and power: those were some of the characteristics used to describe Jack Bamford.

The six-foot, 190-pound transition player was the Langley Junior Thunder’s fifth round pick (36th overall) at the 2021 BC Junior A Lacrosse League Draft.

And while he transplanted Ontarian may be unfamiliar to the British Columbia box lacrosse season, his most recent field lacrosse coach has no doubt that it will be smooth – and productive – transition when the box lacrosse game returns.

Bamford played his minor box lacrosse in Ontario with the Cambridge Chiefs before relocating to the west coast and landing with the Richmond/Vancouver Minor Lacrosse Association.

“Jack is a big, strong lefty with an obvious strong box lacrosse skill set,” explained Sean McInnes, who coached Bamford at the U15 field level with the Richmond/Vancouver Minor Lacrosse Association.

“We incorporated his speed and size into a two-man game (in field) and Jack scored some pivotal goals in our run to the provincial championship (last year).”

“He’s got a big frame, really strong and powerful. I think he would operate well in a pick-and-role game and crashing in the o-zone,” McInnis added.

As for which player he tries to emulate on the floor, Bamford noted he is a fan of the way Dane Dobbie plays the game.

“It’s the way he incorporates physicality, speed, stick and a quick release to form a very polished and solid play style. That’s what I look to do every time I am out there,” Bamford said.