Lacrosse World mourns the passing of a Champion
Thursday June 28, 2012
by Tim Fry
Champion Canadian goalie Chris Sanderson
Sanderson and Australian goalie Steve Mackey
Many people within the Australian lacrosse commmunity know
Chr
is Sanderson, and almost everyone knows of him. This is especially
the case for those those who have played Mens Lacrosse for
Australia. Not only was Chris an outstanding lacrosse player
and coach, he was a remarkable human being who left a lasting
impact on all of those who met him. For me, it was the 2006
World Championship in London, Ontario, and as is customary at the
end of a world championships I was at the bar. Canada had just won
the World Championship for the first time in 28 years, and there
was Chris Sanderson, fully kitted out in the Team Finland Velvet
track suit. I was wanting to talk to him about his recent win, he
was more interested in knowing if I knew Terry Sparks (former
Australian Player, All World 1998) and all the other people he knew
from the Eltham Lacrosse Club. He was extremely approachable
and down to earth.
Chris Sanderson was diagnosed with brain cancer in Octorber 2008,
and after an epic battle, word from his former team mate Jim Moss
was that his fight could soon be reaching an end. In a blog
update titled "Time to say goodbye" Sanderson's wife Brogann wrote
Monday that the focus is now on Chris's comfort in his final
days. "I do not know what exactly what Chris is thinking or
feeling, but it is pretty clear that he has made the decision to
end his battle on his terms, regardless of suffering."
On the 28th June, 2am North America time, Chris Sanderson passed
away.
Sanderson, 38, had undergone numerous surgeries and extensive
treatments from the time he was dianosed in 2008. Amazingly,
in 2010 he represented Canada in the World Championships in London,
England and was named All-World Goalkeeper.CBC Canada captured this
amazing story in an interview titled 'Playing through adversity' .
As a player, Sanderson is attributed to Canada's amazing last
quarter 11 goal comeback against the USA in the 1998 World
Championship final, which they lost in overtime. This game, which
has gone down in history as one of the best ever, planted a seed of
self belief for the Canadians to believe they could beat the
forever dominant USA. The dream of gold was realised in 2006
when Canada defeated the USA to take the World Championship title.
Fittingly, Sanderson was at the helm.
The thoughts, wishes and prayers of the Victorian and Australian
lacrosse communities go out to Sanderson family and friends, the
world over.
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