The Winningest Coach in Canada - Page 2

Up to the junior level, the game is going strong. But, for the past few years, the post-junior leagues have been mighty quiet.  Because only a few select players ever made any money for playing senior lacrosse, interest in the game waned after a player graduated from junior.  The pro league, in which all players were paid a salary, albeit a modest one, attracted many into the game who weren't very keen to play just for the fun of it.

It would be pleasing to report that the pro league was a huge success.  Some new fans were made for the game and the standard of play was quite good.  However, some red ink had to be used.  At the time this was being written, the pro plans for 1969 were up in the air.

Although he has a realistic attitude about the limited public acceptance of his sport, Jim Bishop has remained undaunted about his opinion that lacrosse should rank with hockey and football as a major spectator sport.

"No other sport fills the needs of today better than lacrosse," Bishop said. "People say a sport in the 1960s must have violence and mayhem to be a success.  I'm not convinced this is true but, if it is, well, lacrosse has it.  Lacrosse has all the body contact of football, only more of it, by more people. It has the speed of hockey. Okay, so you think that's wrong, eh?  Tests have proven that someone running is faster for a 100-foot burst than someone skating.  Most of the action happens in no more than a 100-foot burst. lacrosse has more precision than basketball or soccer. It's the greatest sport for the development of individual skills within the framework of a team."

Of course, spouting a lot of fancy theories is one thing; backing them up with action is another: Bishop does this.  His Green Gaels are living testimony to his theories. The Gaels are good show business, turning lacrosse, which sometimes has degenerated into pot bellies and slashing, into a work of art.

The Gaels have dominated their sport in a way no other Canadian team has ever dominated any game. No team in history has won six consecutive national titles in any sport.  Although such a statement may draw guffaws, especially from hockey, Jim Bishop is probably the finest coach working today in any team sport in Canada.

The basis for this statement?  His Gael teams supply a strong bit of evidence.  They are superbly drilled, psychologically inspired, thoroughly conditioned aggregations that never seem to encounter a situation when they don't know what they're supposed to do.  Bishop has made good teams great, fair teams excellent and he's won over teams which had potentially better material.

Many of the top players in the Eastern Division of the NLA were developed in the Green Gael organization.  Gaylord Powless, John Davis, Tom Conlin and Elmer Tran went through the Oshawa mill. An assortment of Gaels from the '68 title teams are ready to star in the pro game.

Being a Green Gael means more than joining a team, practising a few times and playing some games.  It is a total experience, touching every facet of a boy's life. There's a lengthy indoctrination program about what it means to be part of the Gael organization.  After a lad has crossed over from the herd to become a Green Gael, there's no going back!

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