Jesse Gamble is still getting used to being a world champion.
He was part of the Canadian Field Lacrosse team that defeated the top-seeded United States team 8-5 at the World Lacrosse Championships in Denver on July 19.
The 26-year-old Rockwood native, who now makes his home in Toronto and works for hedge fund company Donville Kent Asset Management, has also played professional box lacrosse for the Toronto Rock for the past three years.
“It’s starting to sink in,” Gamble said of his involvement as a defensive mid-fielder with the Canadian team. “The one thing that’s really got me thinking is, this is only the third time Canada has won.”
Canada last won the world title in 2006 in a 15-10 win over the U.S. and previously 17-16 in overtime in 1978, also over the Americans.
The Federation of International Lacrosse world championship was first established in 1967 and the tournament is played every four years.
Team Canada played its first game in the tournament’s opening contest on July 10 against the U.S., losing 10-7.
Gamble said the game allowed Canadian players and coaching staff to adjust their game. The American team had been together for about a year preparing for the worlds, he explained, while the Canadian team held its tryouts in October.
“That was technically our first game together,” Gamble said of the opening game. “We probably got 10 times better and we were playing our strategy.”
He credits his place on the Canadian team to his boss Jason Donville, who assembled a lacrosse team, known as “Dirty Lacrosse” to participate in tournaments in Hawaii.
The experience helped Gamble
improve his game and eventually led to him being invited to tryouts for the Canadian team.
“I was invited to the tryouts and played my heart out,” Gamble said. It won him a place on the team.
Gamble played attack for the Cornell University field lacrosse team in Ithaca, New York, but eventually found his talents lay in the defensive mid-field position.
After graduating from Cornell, Gamble landed a job with Donville Kent, playing for the Rock and living within easy walking distance of some of largest sporting venues in Toronto, including the Air Canada Centre, where the Rock play their home games.
“A lot of things went well for me,” he said.
Some 38 teams competed in the world championship from July 10 to 19, with teams like Canada and the U.S. ranked in top divisions at the tournament level.
The Canadian team played seven games, defeating England, Iroquois Nationals (twice), Japan and Australia in between its two matches with the U.S.
Gamble credits his sponsors for helping him achieve “my goal.”
The sponsors include local companies HJM Insurance of Guelph, owned by Ivan Durigon of former Eramosa Township; and Northern Productions in Mississauga, owned by the Caron family of former Eramosa. Donville Kent Asset Management also sponsored the team.
Gamble is now taking his Master’s of Business Administration and expects to continue playing for the Rock this winter.
