Best Coach: Matt Robin

When Matt Robin picked up a lacrosse stick at the age of 14, he never knew the impact it would have on his life.

“My brother went to Notre Dame and came back with a lacrosse stick and we started throwing the ball around in the front yard and that was 20 years ago,” said Robin. “Its just something we both loved, and it was just fun. You can pick it up anywhere…bring your sticks out camping or just go into the backyard and play.”

At the time, there wasn’t a local team to play on, so he and his brother travelled to Big River to play in the Junior Lacrosse League there.
“I was a 15-year-old playing against some guys who were 21-years old.”
But he was good; good enough to attend National championships for several consecutive years.

“I was on the original Prince Albert Predators team when it first started. It was a big learning curve because a lot of the guys had never played the sport before. It was super fun to get that going and just a fun atmosphere,” said Robin.
He played for the Saskatoon Smash in the junior league until a knee injury sidelined him for a while. Then, he went on to join the Senior Brewers in Saskatoon before coming back to Prince Albert to both play and coach.

“We started a senior field team here in P.A. last year and we won the championship for Saskatchewan. So, we’re provincial champs.”

Robin is the ‘Best of the Best’ BOB award winner in the ‘Best Coach’ category. The Prince Albert Box Lacrosse Association was named ‘Best Minor Sports Association.’

“It’s very rewarding just to see how the kids grow. Sometimes you put in the effort and you don’t see it every time from every kid, but when you put in the effort and a kid notices it and then they put in even more effort, you can grow together. It’s just awesome and such an evolving sport. I wish I had the opportunity when I was young to play year-round.”

The addition of the Saskatchewan Rush to the National Lacrosse League helped advance the sport in the province but Robin said its also gained popularity because it’s the perfect crossover sport.

“Hockey players love it for the hand-eye coordination, whereas football and soccer players use it for the agility and acceleration you can do off drills,” Robin explained. “You can see a lot of different athletes getting something out of it.”

The Box Lacross season starts in April; Field Lacrosse starts in May. For the first time, Saskatchewan is also hosting the senior field lacrosse National Championship in October. For more information about lacrosse in Prince Albert, visit the association’s website.

Matt Robin and the Prince Albert Box Lacrosse Association – BOB Award winners for ‘Best Coach’ and ‘Best Minor Sports Association.’