Legends of the Game

In the twenty-sixth edition of “Legends of the Game” we look at the life and career of Cam Bomberry.

The first article is from Sachem.ca

Darryl Smart wrote an excellent piece, and here it is in it’s entirety…

Cam Bomberry has always been about family. On Saturday, the Six Nations lacrosse star was inducted into a new one.

During the Ontario Lacrosse Association’s awards banquet in Niagara Falls, Bomberry was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

“It’s been quite a ride,” Bomberry said “I never thought this was going to happen. Being part of this lacrosse community is like no other. And it’s always growing. It’s one of the fastest growing communities in Ontario.”

And Bomberry couldn’t be happier to be part of it.

“It’s great because I could probably go to each table and have a conversation with someone because there are so many familiar faces,” Bomberry said. “That’s what makes this so humbling.”

While the lacrosse family is something that has given Bomberry plenty, the long-time member of the Six Nations Chiefs returned the favour, on and off the floor.

On it, he had a standout minor career, that led him to the St. Catharines Athletics. But once the Six Nations Arrows were formed in 1990, Bomberry returned, and was the team’s first captain, leading them to a Minto Cup in 1992, where he won the Most Valuable Player award.

When his junior career was over, he became a member of the first-ever Six Nations Chiefs team in 1993. He helped the team capture a pair of Mann Cups in 1994 and 1995.

Internationally, he played for team Canada on the under-19 team.

Off the floor, Bomberry continues to work with youth not only in his own community, but all over the world.

Chiefs president Duane Jacobs introduced him to the crowd, and couldn’t be happier for his long-time friend.

“I remember Cam. We grew up at the same public school in Six Nations,” Jacobs said. “He was in kindergarten at the time and I was in Grade 5 or 6. At that time, he was in the playground and you could see the skill he had.

“Cam grew up through the Six Nations minor lacrosse system,” he said. “He led his friends through the ranks and was very successful winning provincial and national championships. He’s a Six Nations man through and through.”

Bomberry owes that all to his own family, who he brought with him to share in the moment.

“My parents supported me all the way through,” Bomberry said. “Everyone knows my dad. Lacrosse is way more than those three or four months in the summer. It’s all the time. It’s so good great to be part of and I’m so glad I was raised in a lacrosse family and lacrosse community. That’s who we are. Letting my kids see that and be part of that is special to me.

“There are so many stories to tell, and winning championships is icing on the cake,” he said. “But being part of the whole thing is the greatest experience of it all. The camaraderie is life-long. Those are lessons that can be passed down to the kids. And that’s something I share, not only with my own kids. Always being there for your siblings is something we were always taught. We’re all part of a family and I see that tonight. It’s very much appreciated. All the friends and people I’ve met since I was two apples high, to now. Being able to play all over the world, growing the game, there’s no higher honour to be acknowledged for that.”

From the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame…

NAME: CAMERON (CAM) BOMBERRY

INDUCTED: 2016

TEAM: SIX NATIONS

POSITION: PLAYER

– PLAYED HIS FAVOURITE SPORT WITH THE SIX NATIONS MINOR ORGANIZATION, WHERE HE TRAVELED ACROSS ONTARIO AND B.C. TO COMPETE FOR NATIONALS AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

– PLAYED HIS FIRST THREE YEARS OF JUNIOR A CAREER WITH THE ST.CATHARINES ATHLETICS.

– RETURNED TO HIS HOME TOWN IN 1991, WHERE HE LED THE ARROWS TO AN ONTARIO CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE EASTERN CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1992.

– FIRST CAPTAIN OF A NATIVE BASED FRANCHISE THAT WON THE MINTO CUP, AND WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS JIM MCCONAGHY MEMORIAL TROPHY AS MVP.

– TO THIS DAY BE CONSIDERS IT A GREAT HONOUR TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS SPECIAL TEAM.

– ONE OF TEAM CANADA’S OUTSTANDING PLAYERS IN 1988 IN THE 1ST EVER U19 CHAMPIONSHIP IN ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA, WHEN CANADA EARNED A SILVER MEDAL.

– WAS A THREE TIME ALL-AMERICAN MIDFIELDER FOR NAZARETH COLLEGE, AND A MEMBER OF THE NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM IN D3.

– FOUR TIME MEMBER OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONAL TEAM SINCE THEIR ACCEPTANCE IN 1990 IN THE FIL AND WAS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE IROQUOIS NATIONALS PROGRAM THAT WON BRONZE AT THE FIL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2014.

– MEMBER OF THE SIX NATIONS CHIEFS STARTING IN 1993, AND WAS A MANN CUP CHAMPION WITH THE CHIEFS IN 1994 AND 1996.

– HE ENDED HIS OLA SUMMER CAREER WITH THE MOHAWK STARS IN 2008 IN THE SENIOR B LOOP.

– PLAYED EIGHT SEASONS IN THE NLL WITH THE KNIGHTHAWKS, THE BANDITS, AND THE NEW JERSEY STORM.

– HE WAS AN INTEGRAL PIECE OF THE 1997 WORLD CHAMPIONS ROCHESTER KNIGHTHAWKS.

– HE IS KNOWN AS A PLAYER OF TREMENDOUS TALENT, A NATURAL LEADER ON AND OFF THE FLOOR.

– HIS LACROSSE IQ IS SECOND TO NONE ON TEAMS FULL OF INCREDIBLE PLAYERS.

– ALTHOUGH SOFT SPOKEN IN THE LOCKER ROOM, WHEN HE DID SPEAK EVERYONE LISTENED.

– ALWAYS WELL RESPECTED BY HIS PEERS, HIS TEAMMATES AND HIS OPPOSITION.

– ALWAYS FINDS THE TIME TO GIVE BACK TO TEACH AND GUIDE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LACROSSE PLAYERS IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE GAME.

– HE CONTINUES TO GROW TL1E GAME TO THIS DAY BY PROVIDING CLINICS, LECTURES AND OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.

Inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2020.

To get in touch with Darryl Smart… darrylsmartmedia.com

And to get in touch with the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame… ontariolacrossehalloffame.com