You have to ask the question...does Gareth Barley love the sport of Lacrosse that much, or is he just a glutton for punishment?  

"It's probably a bit of both," laughs Barley, before admitting, "but then I coach both of my son's lacrosse teams as well."

In the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League season that just ended, Barley played for the Provincial Senior "C" Champion Airdrie Mohawks and also served as Head Coach with the Senior "B" Rocky View Knights who he lead to the provincial finals before losing in four games to the St. Albert Miners.  You would think such a hectic schedule might be tough to juggle, but Barley takes it all in stride.  

He says his love for the game developed early.  "It's in your blood, it's a game I just can't get enough of.  I started like any other kid where Hockey was my passion and found Lacrosse early in my life when my mom put me in and then it just kind of grew on you.  It was something that, you know, honestly at the end of the Hockey season I couldn't wait to play Lacrosse."

So, how does Barley keep up with it all? "I try to balance as much as possible around my work schedule at the Senior "B" level and we kind of get to pick and choose our schedule.  There's some negotiations.  I try to do the best I can around my work schedule so I don't take away from work.  With the Mohawks we make sure we practice on different days as the Knights, we try to play before or after the Knights, if possible so that allows me to attend as many games as I can and be at as many practices as I can with both teams."

As for how long Barley feels he can keep coaching three teams and playing for another, he says he'll likely do it for a while yet.  

"For the Mohawks, every run comes to an end.  We've gone through our second undefeated season.  We know the run's going to come to an end.  In talking to most of the guys the focus was on getting to Western Canadians (where the 'Hawks finished third for the second straight year).  The majority of those guys will be back next year and we hope to keep that run going.  For the Knights I keep saying, 'one more season, one more season.'  When I was playing for the Knights and coaching for the Rocky View Rage, the minor organization in Airdrie, my half brothers started playing and they're a year away from graduating so I think, at a minimum, it'll be two more seasons 'cause then I get to draft my brothers, which is something I kind of look forward to."

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