Ladner's Sam Clare had his hands full at the SFU Maple Leaf awards dinner, held recently at the Hilton Hotel Metrotown.
In its seventh year, the banquet celebrates Canada's national sport acknowledging, graduating seniors, incoming freshmen, the SFU Lacrosse 2012 team award winners, PNCLL All-conference, MCLA All American league honours recipients, plus scholar athletes and the prestigious Chris Friesen Memorial Award in honour of the late young player.
Master of Ceremonies - the Team 1040's Scott Rintoul - got to know Clare well as he visited the awards stage six times.
As a freshman midfielder last season, the Vancouver College graduate racked up 34 goals - prompting his first and second visits to the stage where he received the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) Division One Freshman of the Year and PNCLL All-Conference First Team awards. This was followed by the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) All America award.
The Delta Junior "A" Islander standout also received the SFU Freshman and Offensive player of the year awards. His most treasured honour of the evening was the Friesen Memorial Award.
"This award is very precious to me, it is a great honour to be recognized like this and I will live up to everyone's expectations," said Clare in his acceptance speech. "If you work hard, practice hard and play hard, you can achieve incredible results and satisfaction.
" I played field Lacrosse with Chris as a member of the U16 Team B.C. program and was stunned at his sudden passing".
The 2013 SFU Field Lacrosse season starts Saturday with a visit to Washington State University.
SFU's home opener weekend is Feb. 9-10 against Western Washington and Oregon State respectively. Both games begin at 1 p.m.
