Chris Lesanko grew up in the small lacrosse hotbed community of Sturgis, Saskatchewan. Chris is the youngest of three brothers that have grown up playing lacrosse. Chris first picked up a stick at the approximate age of 9 and started playing competitively at age 11. He was very fortunate to be coached by Brad Cameron and have his older brothers help him out throughout his years of men’s field lacrosse in Sturgis, which helped him develop into an exceptional lacrosse player. Chris was a major part of many provincial championship teams in Sturgis including at least two Intermediate and three Junior titles. He has been named as a tournament all-star at the last three Junior Men’s Field Provincial Championships and also received an all-star award at an Intermediate Men’s Field Provincial Championship.
Chris has also been quite active on Saskatchewan Lacrosse Provincial Teams including participation on the 1997 Intermediate Men’s Field Provincial Team and 2000, 2001, 2002 Junior Men’s Field Provincial Teams. Chris was a team captain, tournament top scorer and attack position all-star on the 2002 Saskatchewan Junior Men’s Field Provincial Team that captured the national championship for the only time in Saskatchewan lacrosse history. He has also received attack position all-star awards at the Junior Men’s Field National championships in 2000 & 2001. Chris also played on the 2002 Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Field National Championship team that won gold at the tournament played in Lennoxville, Quebec.
Chris is known as a great leader and does not shy away from the physical play involved in field and box lacrosse even though he is small in stature at about 5 “7″ and 150+ pounds. He shows a lot of heart in the way he plays lacrosse as hard work and determination are his norm. These attributes along with his quickness, agility and excellent stick skills make Chris an offensive threat whenever he is on the floor or field. Chris was recognized for his positive qualities by receiving the 2000 Russell Slobodian (Athlete of the Year) Award as presented by the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association.
Chris was also selected as a two-time 1st team all-star in the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League (Junior Box) as the captain for the Yorkton Bulldogs Junior Box Lacrosse Team. He was the top scorer in 2004 and selected as the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player leading Yorkton to a 2nd place finish and a hard fought 2-1 championship series loss to the Moose Jaw Mustangs.
Chris actually worked as the Program Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association for the past two summers and was planning on working again for the SLA again this summer before the accident. Chris helped promote the sport to youth throughout Saskatchewan and also helped coach the men’s field lacrosse provincial teams in 2003 & 2004.
CHRIS LESANKO ANNOUNCED BY BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY AS MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – APRIL 15/05
Chris has a strong passion for the sport of lacrosse, which has been shown by his willingness to attend a university that has a lacrosse program. Chris spent one year attending Greenmount College in Vermont, USA on a lacrosse scholarship before deciding to spend a year closer to home at the University of Regina. Chris was selected as the Greenmount Eagles team most valuable player. Chris was then recruited to play at Bishop’s University where he has continued to excel and was named Bishops Lacrosse 2003/04 Rookie of the Year.
Chris was named Male Athlete of the Year at Bishop’s University at the Gaiters Annual Awards Banquet held the evening of April 14, 2005, which is the 1st time ever a lacrosse player has won this prestigious award. The voting for the award was actually completed a few days before Chris was injured.
The following is the exert from the Bishop’s University Media Release announcing the award winners:
“Male Athlete of the Year: Chris Lesanko (lacrosse)
Chris was instrumental in the Gaiters’ success the last two years as helped lead Bishop’s to Eastern division titles and a second place finish in the Ontario University Lacrosse League. This past season he scored 14 goals and 28 assists in just eight league games and was the quarterback of the high-powered Gaiter offense. In his freshman year he received the first of two all- star selections and was team’s Rookie of the Year.
The Saskatchewan native came to Bishop’s with impressive credentials. He was a two-time all-star with Prairie Gold Lacrosse League and the circuit’s Most Valuable Player in 2004. In 2002 he led Saskatchewan Junior Men’s Field Provincial Team to a national title.
He also played on the 2002 Saskatchewan Senior Men’s Field National Champions making him a national championship winner in Junior & Senior Men’s Field Lacrosse in the same year.
“Chris is an outstanding lacrosse player who set up an offense from behind the opposition net, a lot like Gretzky did in hockey,” head coach Damien Roy said. “He is a work horse, always in the gym trying to improve himself. His work ethic will be the reason why he will recover from his present neck injury.”
Some of Chris’s Lacrosse Stats
season GP G A PTS
2004 PGLL PLAYOFFS 4 12 16 28
2004 PGLL 11 23 43 66
2004 founders 5 4 13 17
2004 CUFLA 8 14 28 40
2003 PGLL 12 30 49 80
2003 CUFLA
2003 FOUNDER CUP 5 4 7 11
2002 KELOWNA 5 11 18 29
2002 GREEN MTN. NCAA II 10 14 57 71
2001 SASKATOON 5 6 17 23
2000 WINNIPEG 5 5 13 18
70 127 218 345
2004 PGLL LEAGIUE MVP & 1ST TEAM ALL-STAR & LEADING SCORER
2004 & 2003 CUFLA 1ST TEAM ALL CANADIAN
2004 BISHOPS MALE ALTHETE & MVP BISHOPS GAITORS
2003 PGLL 1ST ALL-STAR TEAM
2003 CUFLA LEADING SCORER & BISHOP ‘S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
2002 CANADIAN NATIONAL U-19 LEADING SCORER & NATIONAL CHAMPS
2002-2000 1ST TEAM ATTACK ALLSTAR
2002 GREEN MTN. MVP
2002 PROVINAL MVP
1996-2002 PROVINCAL ALLSTAR