Throwback Thursday - Outlaws Re-unite Life Long Friends with Recent Trade for Cam Garlin

When you look at the picture of the 2004 Ajax-Pickering Rock Senior B lacrosse club the first thing that stands out is NLL Hall of Famer and lacrosse legend Jim Veltman sitting in the front roll. The Rock, a former summer team in the Ontario Lacrosse Association (now the Oakville Rock) also had NLLer's Tim O'Brien, Shawn Summerfield, Jeff Summerfield, John Veltman, Mike Miron and others as part of a team that once finished 2nd in Canada. 

But what should catch your eye is the 3 ball boys in the very front, Tyler Roche, Cam Garlin and John St. John, these three spent their youth around some great lacrosse legends and now 15 years later are teammates with the Arena Lacrosse League's Oshawa Outlaws chasing their own dreams. A recent trade with the Peterborough Timbermen brought Garlin back to Oshawa where he began his ALL career, it also re-united the 3 life long friends.

Both Garlin and St. John toil the left side of the Outlaws offense with Roche playing solid defense on an Outlaws team that currently sits in 4th place in the 7 team Arena Lacrosse League.

We caught up with the 3 to see what their memories were of those days with the Rock as well as their current reunion with the Outlaws:

1. What is your first thought that comes to mind when you see the picture?

Roche – First thought is a team that became a family.

Garlin – First experience getting to hang around with the guys playing at that level and first hand seeing what it takes.

St. John – First thought is wow, look how young we look! Miss those days.

2. What do you remember about your days as a ball boy with the AP Rock?

Roche – As a ball boy I remember how great it was to watch and even play catch with some of the best players in the game.

Garlin – I remember getting to ride the bus to away games and getting to sit at the back with the team and how much fun Johnny, Ty and I would have on the floor running around.

St. John – I remember being excited when there was a game because I loved being on the floor with the boys and playing catch with the goalies like Mike Miron. Also loved the long bus trips and getting to watch movies and play some dice, might want to edit that or don’t tell my dad (laughs).

3. Do you remember any Rock players? Any favorites?

Roche – Some of my favorites over the years were Frank Littlejohn, “Lummy” (ed. Note - Jamie Lumsden), Ian Harloff, Tim O’Brien, and goalie Mike Miron.

Garlin – The Summerfield brothers were my definitely my favorites and the goaltender Paddy Campbell because I remember him running up the floor and getting a breakaway. Never seen that again.

St. John – I remember almost every guy from the team, my favorites would be Jim Veltman, Billy McLean and the Summerfield brothers.

4. All 3 of you are now playing for the Oshawa Outlaws, what do you think about that?

Roche – No better feeling than getting to play with these guys in Oshawa, just like old times.

Garlin – It's great to be back reunited with the boys, us three have a great bond. It really is special to be playing with the same guys and being connected this long is awesome, they are really great players and teammates.

St. John – I think its pretty cool to play on the same team and seeing how each of us have developed as lacrosse players. Hope we can get another ALL championship this year and hopefully get to the NLL soon.

5. Last question, each of you have been friends for years, do you see the 3 of you coaching together once your playing days are done? 

Roche – Well, our dads set the bar pretty high when it comes to coaching and the amount of times they’ve been kicked out of games, (laughs), but I think the 3 of us coaching would be a great experience.

Garlin – If Ty ran D, Johnny head coach and me running the offense, I think we could be some great coaches in the future!

St. John – Friends then and friends now, I could see us coaching a team someday, maybe midget or even Jr. its hard to say right now but if the opportunity arrives someday I don’t see why we wouldn’t be interested in coaching together.

For now, the three life long friends continue to play together for the Outlaws with high expectations of leading the Outlaws back to an ALL Championship. Thank you gentlemen for sharing your thoughts on a great picture and your friendship.

(If you have a throwback picture of a current ALL player and a story to go along with it, please reach out to Lance.winn@arenalacrosseleague.com and share with us, we are looking to make this a regular Thursday article throughout the remainder of the 2019 season.)