The Legends of Lacrosse interview, featuring John Grant Sr. and Jim Wasson will be released in video and podcast format on Thursday September 3. The Canadian Lacrosse Foundation’s Video Lacrosse Library and Lacrosse Talks project features video and podcast interviews of some of Canada’s most dynamic lacrosse builders, coaches and players. The purpose of the project is to capture the personal stories of those who have shaped the game over the last 80 years.

John Grant Sr. and Jim Wasson are the definition of teammates. They played together on various teams from minor lacrosse to senior lacrosse, as Team Canada members, and for the Philadelphia Wings in the early version of the NLL.

John Grant Sr. Biography

John Grant Sr. excelled in box and field lacrosse. He played in Peterborough and was on the 1972 Minto Cup Champion as the MVP of the series. He won three Mann Cups with the Peterborough Lakers in 1973, 1982 and 1984 where he was also named MVP. With the Canadian Men’s Field Lacrosse Team, Grant won the World Championship in 1978. He also enjoyed two years of professional lacrosse in Philadelphia. In 1974 he finished fourth in league scoring and in 1975 finished sixth and set an NLL record for assists with 134. 

He helped resurrect Peterborough Minor Lacrosse (PMLA) from 67 kids in 1979 to 1100 kids 10 years later, acting within the PMLA as president, VP, house league VP etc. He coached at the minor, senior and pro levels. This included co-coaching Guelph to an NLL title in 1991 and helping guide the Peterborough senior teams for eight seasons.

Grant was transferred to Sudbury, Ontario and started up minor lacrosse there. The first registration resulted in 500 kids signing up to play. That resulted in the Greater Sudbury Lacrosse Association. John was president and coaching director, where he coached at all levels. He was also the representative to the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) for Sudbury and was on the OLA Grassroots committee. 

In 2007 he received the Merv Mackenzie award from the OLA, presented to the person who has done the most for the promotion of lacrosse in Ontario. 

John Grant Sr. is recognized as a member by the following Halls of Fame: Peterborough Hall of Fame, Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame, Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Jim Wasson Biography

Jim Wasson was an outstanding athlete where his spirit and desire enabled him to rise to superstar status in clutch situations. He was an incredible loose ball man and short man specialist as well as a clutch play-off performer. In three years of junior A lacrosse Jim won the team rookie of the year in 1970 and the team scoring championship in 1971. During his tenure in junior A, his P.C.O. team appeared in two Minto Cups winning the championship in 1972. Jim was an assistant captain all three years and led his team in goals during his two Minto Cup appearances with 18 goals in 11 games. Jim Wasson of Peterborough, Ont., was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the Peterborough Sports & District Hall of Fames.

Between 1971 and 1986, a span of 15 years, Jim appeared in 10 national championships winning six of them. Jim made eight Mann Cup appearances, winning the coveted trophy five times. He captained the Lakers from 1978 -1982. He led his team in Mann Cup scoring in 1973, 1980 & 1982 and was awarded the Mike Kelly Award as Mann Cup MVP in 1982. Jim recorded 1,431 points in his career to rank 11th overall amongst the top 50 scorers ever in Canadian major/senior box lacrosse. One highlight was scoring 11 goals and having 6 assists during one game in 1979; this is a Lakers Major Series Lacrosse record that is still held after 40 years.  Jim played professional lacrosse with the Philadelphia Wings in 1974 and 1975. In 1978 Jim was a member of the Canadian Men’s Field Lacrosse Team. He scored the tying goal in the championship game to force overtime that led to Canada’s victory. He played on the national team from 1978-1982.

Jim still maintains a keen interest in sports. After his playing career ended, he helped form the Kawartha Lacrosse Girls Field Lacrosse Club and he coached the senior A Lakers from 1994-1996 and then coached the junior A Lakers in 1997-1998. In addition, Jim coached high school boys and girls field lacrosse.

Jim Wasson is recognized as a member by the following Halls of Fame: Peterborough Hall of Fame, Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Click here for a full list of the interviewees featured in the Legends of Lacrosse and Lacrosse Talks interviews.

Watch all the video stories here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCBvOxZi_Bu2toDatSBvvZA

Listen to all the audio podcast stories here: https://www.spreaker.com/show/lacrosse-legends

(The Podcast show and all episodes will also be made available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeartRadio and Spotify as soon as the episodes start getting released).

Partner Websites

Canadian Lacrosse Association

Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum

Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame

Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum

About the Canadian Lacrosse Association          

Founded in 1867, the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) is the governing body responsible for all aspects of lacrosse in Canada. Our organization is comprised of 10 Member Associations representing nearly 85,000 individual participants, including coaches, officials, and athletes of all ages and abilities. The CLA's mission is to honour the sport of lacrosse and its unique nation-building heritage, by engaging our members, leading our partners, and providing opportunities for all Canadians to participate. The CLA oversees the delivery of numerous national championships and the participation of Team Canada at all international events sanctioned by World Lacrosse. The CLA is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values, including our corporate partners - NormaTec Recovery Systems, Canadian Red Cross, Westjet, RockTape, OPRO and Baron Rings - as well as our funding partners the Government of Canada, the Coaching Association of Canada, and the Canadian Lacrosse Foundation. For more information on Canadian Lacrosse Association and the sport of lacrosse, visit our website at www.lacrosse.ca and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For more information, please contact:

Jim Calder

Director
Canadian Lacrosse Foundation
Email: james.calder2@sympatico.ca

Victoria Klassen

Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Canadian Lacrosse Association
Phone: 613-260-2028 ext. 302
Email: victoria@lacrosse.ca