 |
Heffner helps Team USA take third |
Chicago Machine midfielder Zach Heffner was no stranger to the indoor game. An experienced NLL defender who had honed his craft all winter long with the Chicago Shamrox, Heffner knew what box lacrosse was all about. The slick passes, the precision shooting, the hard knocks and the cross checks; he was ready for anything the opposition threw at him. But as he stepped onto the turf-covered rink, the roar of a big Halifax crowd ringing in his ears, something was a little different. Heffner wasn’t wearing the usual Shamrox green of his National Lacrosse League club. This time he was wearing red, white and blue, and it wasn’t just regular-season victory or defeat soon to be hanging in the balance. No, this time the game would mean something more.
May 14-20, Zach Heffner played indoor lacrosse for Team USA at the World Indoor Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He competed with and against some of the best lacrosse players in the world, with national pride and bragging rights on the line. For one intense week eight talented teams went toe to toe, and when the dust finally settled Team U.S.A. had earned a trip to the medal stand, and Heffner returned home with a bronze medal draped around his neck. It was a tournament he won’t soon forget.
“It was a huge honor and an amazing privilege,” Heffner says of his first-ever competition with the U.S. National Indoor Team. “One of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had.”
Team U.S.A. defeated a scrappy English team 17-10 in the bronze-medal game, using a combination of experience and athleticism. Odds-on favorite Team Canada won gold, but just barely, edging a skilled Iroquois Nationals squad in the tournament final – an overtime thriller that ended 15-14.
Though the U.S. had gone to Halifax hoping for gold-tinted hardware, the Canadians and Iroquois were simply too good. American defenders had their hands full guarding a shifty Iroquois offense in the semi-finals, led by former Syracuse All-American Bret Bucktooth, whom Heffner named as the most impressive player he saw at the tournament.
“He was a guy who really put it all together,” Heffner recalls. “My favorite to watch.”
While the Iroquois’ sticks and quick feet may have given Team U.S.A. fits, it was the opening-round game against Canada that really stood out for Heffner.
“Playing the Canadians was tough,” he says. “There’s a little more at stake when Canada and the U.S. step on the field.”
Fuel was added to the fire last summer, when Team Canada won gold at the World Lacrosse Championships, beating the U.S. in field lacrosse for the first time in 28 years. The Americans were eager for revenge, but unfortunately the highly touted rematch ended in a less-than-epic 18-5 wash. For Heffner and the rest of Team USA, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow.
“It left a bad taste in my mouth,” he said.
Luckily Heffner won’t have to wait long for a return to the lacrosse field, and hopefully a better taste. He’ll be suiting up as a midfielder for the Chicago Machine on June 2, at home against the Denver Outlaws. Of course, switching back to field lacrosse after months in the box will require some adjustment. Played in an ice rink (“the box”) with only five players aside, the indoor game bears some resemblance to hockey and even basketball, complete with breakaways and pick-and-rolls. But the skill set for both styles doesn’t differ much; box lacrosse is still passing, catching, and shooting – the same outdoor artistry on a smaller, indoor canvas. It’s a high-speed game in a tight space, and Heffner may need a little time to regain his bearings on Toyota Park’s spacious lawn. But he’s had to deal with that problem before.
“In [Machine] training camp I had some trouble,” he said with a chuckle. “My spacing was a little off, and I was cross-checking a little more.”
Some readjustment is certainly understandable; after all, Heffner will be running around on real grass instead of turf, without a roof over his head, a big change from Halifax.
No matter what style he’s playing, Heffner simply loves being in the game. His favorite memory from the World Indoor Championship?
“Just being able to bond with guys on my team and getting to know international players. We all came together for one week with the same goal: promoting lacrosse and seeing it grow.”
