Thunder top rookie aims to help

Tyler Pace knows first-hand the value of education and how lacrosse can help achieve earning a college degree.

Pace left home in Port Coquitlam for his final three years of high school, attending Blue Ridge School, a Virginia boarding school. His time there helped earn a scholarship at the University of Denver where he wound up completing his degree in communications and marketing, while also starring for the Pioneers field lacrosse team which captured the 2015 NCAA championship.

And now, the 23-year-old is determined to help others do the same: earn a college degree while playing the sport they love.

“Being able to go to the United States and play lacrosse at the NCAA level and get a degree is an opportunity that a lot more kids should have,” Pace explained.

With that in mind, Pace and one of his former junior teammates, Jean-Luc Chetner, have teamed up through their company to help youth players aspire to achieve that dream.

Pace and Chetner, teammates with the Coquitlam Adanacs 2016 Junior A team which won the Minto Cup, formed Pacific Coast Lacrosse in 2017. Both now play at the senior A level in the Western Lacrosse Association level with Pace on the Langley Thunder – he won the Ed Bayley Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year – while Chetner is a member of the Maple Ridge Burrards.

But while they are rivals on the floor, that doesn’t stand in the way of their business partnership.

Each has a business backgrounds from their time in university with Chetner – who attends Towson University – handling the financial aspect while Pace focuses on the lacrosse vision.

Both also handle coaching duties, and they are assisted by Curtis Dickson, Wesley Berg, Kyle Sorenson, Connor Robinson, Taylor Stuart and Christian Del Bianco.

Pacific Coast Lacrosse offers two practices and one game per week and is based primarily out of Willoughby Community Park, located beside Langley Events Centre. It is open to high school (Grades 9 to 12) players. They will wrap up the season by attending some elite U.S. tournaments where they face other premier travel teams.

The boys’ program is full – there is a wait list – while space remains in the girls’ program.

They are also offering some local camps at Willoughby Community Park which will be well attended by college and university scouts and coaches.

The Pro-Dee Jamboree is Oct. 19 and 20; the Thompson Brothers Lacrosse Camp – run by Lyle, Miles, Jerome and Jeremy Thompson – is Oct. 21, and the University of Denver Ascension Camp is Oct. 27 and 28.

Pacific Coast Lacrosse’s aim is to develop youth lacrosse players in B.C. and provide them access to all the opportunities available through the sport. Pacific Coast Lacrosse offers travel teams for both high school aged boys and girls

Pace pointed to his seven years in the U.S. where he was able to gain all the knowledge, contacts and resources necessary to provide youth lacrosse players in B.C. with access to the opportunities available south of the border.

“Our program is predicated on development,” he explained. “We do not believe that only the best twenty players in B.C. should have elite opportunities and so we have created a model that will develop every player at their own pace to enable them opportunities to not only attend high quality recruiting tournaments, but also to perform at a high level.”

To register, visit www.pacificcoastlax.com.

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For more information:

Gary Ahuja, Langley Events Centre, 604.613.5242 (cell), 604.455.8830 (office) or email.