'Fireplug' Gagnon brings work ethic to team

Photo courtesy of Tim McCormick

Ben Gagnon’s introduction to lacrosse began with an invitation.

He was invited to tag along to a lacrosse practice at the suggestion of one of his friends’ fathers. Up until that point, the ice-hockey playing youngster had planned on enrolling in ball hockey for the spring and summer while he awaited hockey’s return in the fall but decided to give lacrosse a try.

This was nearly a decade ago and all it took was one lacrosse practice and the now 16-year-old Gagnon counts himself a two-sport athlete, just as happy to lace up the skates as he is to don the lacrosse gear.

And the Langley Junior Thunder were thrilled to land Gagnon in the second round at 12^th overall of last month’s BC Junior A Lacrosse League Draft.

Gagnon has shown success at playing both sides of the floor, equally adept as either an offensive player or in more of a defensive/transition role.

Some pre-draft descriptions used to discuss Gagnon’s game were “physical, fearless and not afraid to go to the dirty areas” as well as an “ability to finish when he gets inside” and “good at getting rebounds and multiple possessions” for his team.”

Those are traits that should serve him well at the next level.

“He has a workhorse mentality and will be a force when it comes to loose-balls and face-offs,” described Langley Thunder Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting Ryan Williams.

“A little fireplug,” was how Daren Fridge described Gagnon, a player he has coached over the years at various stops with the Ridge Meadows Lacrosse Association.

Big, strong and athletic were the other words Fridge used in assessing the 5-foot-nine, 160-pound Gagnon.

“Hard work is the biggest thing (for me) and not giving up,” Gagnon said in self-assessing his game.

And as for the role he will play as he embarks on his junior career, Gagnon puts himself as a team-first kind of guy, just as happy to do the spadework as he is to score the goal.

“I’d rather be the guy who works hard and gets the ball and gets the assist (on the goal),” he said.

Gagnon also brings a winning pedigree to the Thunder as a three-time provincial champion at the minor lacrosse level, including winning Most Valuable Player honours once.