The college lacrosse world was was caught off guard on August 18th, 2016 when it was announced that University of Denver star middie Brendan Bomberry would be transferring to Syracuse University.
Bomberry hails from Six Nations in Ontario, Canada and has an extensive history playing box lacrosse, field lacrosse, and hockey. To say Bomberry is a fantastic athlete is an understatement and it sort of comes with the last name. He played juniors for the Six Nations Arrows, helping lead them to 2014 and 2015 Minto Cup Championships. As soon as Bomberry joined the Syracuse squad, he made an immediate impact posting 26 points (20+6) in 11 games with the Orange.
This week we had the opportunity to go Behind Bars with Bomberry about Syracuse, Friday Night Lights, his hockey career, and his son Jagger.
Behind Bars with Brendan Bomberry
Luke Hitchcock: First of all, thanks for sitting down to do this. Let’s get started! This is your first year playing in Syracuse, is the Carrier Dome as great to play in as everyone says?
Brendan Bomberry: Definitely! Growing up I used to go to games all the time. It was a dream of mine to play there. It’s so much fun to play in the Dome.
Before my first game, my teammates hyped it up a lot and I think it lived up to the hype. When the crowd is in it, it makes it even better because it’s so loud. It’s always sunny and 75 in the Dome!
I’m sure this is a question you get asked all the time since it’s the age old lacrosse debate. Since you grew up in Ontario playing box lacrosse, do you think your rich history in box has made you a better field player or vice versa?
I think it helped a lot. You develop great stick work and spacial awareness in box because it is played in such a tight space. If you can score on a box net with a huge goalie in net, you should be able to put the ball in a field net, no problem.
I also think that field has huge benefits for the the box game as well. All in all, I think it helps benefit both by playing both.
Fair enough. Stepping back outside, there are some insanely good long poles in the NCAA. Do you have a favorite guy to go up against?
I don’t think I necessarily have a favorite player to go against because all defenders at this level are very good.
I think going up against my friends on other teams like Chris Cloutier (UNC), Nolan Apers (Lehigh), and James Barclay (Providence) is fun just for bragging rights when we all get home in the summer.
Your uncle Marshall was a key member of the 2000 National Championship Syracuse team. Did he have any advice for you when you began your time in Syracuse?
He’s awesome. I think he is the most excited person about me playing for Syracuse because he gets to come back and kind of relive his days at ‘Cuse. Its really cool to hear about his stories he has from games he’s played in.
Before my games, I’ll go to his house to kinda talk about the team, who we are playing, and who’s on that team. After the game, I’ll go to his house again and we’ll talk about the game, talk about my play, things like that. It’s been awesome having him so close, he’s been one of my best coaches for sure.
Your son, Jagger, has become a superstar in the Syracuse locker room. What has it been like seeing him grow up with a team full of uncles?
[Laughing] Jagger is a superstar wherever he goes, it’s so funny. Everyone loves him so much. But yeah it’s been awesome to have such great teammates that treat him so well.
A couple of the guys have joked about building him his own little locker beside mine. I remember as a kid having my uncles teammates treating me so well, it kind of reminds me of that and it was definitely some of my best memories. I am hoping it can be the same for Jagger!
After Syracuse, where are you hoping your lacrosse career will take you?
I am hoping I get drafted into the NLL and I can continue my box career.
I also want to help Native American youth realize their potential and help them reach their goals, which will hopefully help them get to college or wherever they want to go in life.
Naturally, you grew up as a hockey player as well. Do you think that playing hockey helped with your success on the lacrosse field?
It was huge for me personally. I think the biggest thing was just that it gave me a break from lacrosse and allowed me to play something during the winter. I was actually pretty serious about hockey, I played pretty competitive since I was 7 all the way until I was 17.
It definitely helped with my hand-eye coordination and lacrosse did the same thing for hockey. I looked at it as pretty much box lacrosse on ice.
You’ve always seemed to be working your way to the highest level. What was your experience like competing for the Iroquois Nationals at the 2014 FIL World Championships?
That was one of the coolest experiences for me. It was a dream come true. I’ve dreamed of that since I was little. The coolest thing I think was playing with and against players that I looked up too.
There is nothing better than representing your family and people on the world stage.
Alright, last question, mixing it up. If you could only watch one tv show for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think it would either have to be Gossip Girl or Friday Night Lights. Funny, story about Friday Night Lights. There is a slogan in the show which is “Texas Forever.” I watched the show during my freshman year at Denver and changed it around to “Denver Forever,” which is pretty funny now that I am at Syracuse.
he guys in the locker room laugh about it all the time and say things like “so much for Denver Forever, huh?”
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A huge thank you to Brendan Bomberry for taking the time to sit down and talk to us about life, lacrosse, hockey and of course Friday Night Lights. Bomberry and the Orange close out their season April 22nd against Binghamton in the Carrier Dome as they continue to blaze their trail to Championship Weekend in Foxborough!
