The Calgary Roughnecks may be adding local flavour to its lineup this season.
Airdrie’s Jordon Sealock was drafted by the team in the fourth round, 32nd overall, in the National Lacrosse League draft in Toronto on Sept. 8. He will now prepare himself for tryouts in November.
“I’m excited to play around home again,” he said. “I guess Calgary watched me during my career at Robert Morris and then decided they were going to pick me up again.”
The 24-year-old was first drafted by the Roughnecks in 2006, but decided to pursue an education first. He earned his degree in business management from Robert Morris University, which is located just outside of Pittsburgh, in June, while also starring on the lacrosse team for four years.
“I had a pretty good career at Robert Morris,” Sealock said. “Playing at the elite level and against elite players can only improve you. I think I learned a lot more as a lacrosse player over the last four years.”
Sealock, who was a defender and the RMU Colonials’ team captain for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, completed his NCAA athletic career with a host of honours for his personal accomplishments. He set the RMU record for caused turnovers in a game and caused turnovers in a season, while also being named to the All-NorthEast Conference team this season.
Sealock was recruited by the university following his junior career in Calgary, where he was a member of the 2005 Junior A provincial champion Calgary Raiders.
During his freshman season at RMU, in 2007, he played in 12 games for the Colonials. In 2008, he played in all 15 games, started four, and scored his first NCAA goal. By his junior year in 2009, Sealock started 13 of the team’s 16 games and led with 14 caused turnovers.
Following his graduation, Sealock spent some time this summer with the Nanaimo Timbermen in the well-respected B.C. Junior A lacrosse league. He only played a few games with them, however, as he was busy travelling for interviews related to various coaching positions.
“I was back and fourth all summer trying to find a position, but next summer I will be joining the team for the entire season, so I am looking forward to that,” he said.
One of those interviews led to his current position as defensive coordinator for Seton Hill’s Division II Griffins lacrosse team, located in Greensburg, Penn., just outside of Pittsburgh.
He will remain in Pennsylvania, where he also is training, until closer to the November Roughneck tryouts.
“I’m working out with the team and am trying to keep myself in shape for the tryouts,” Sealock said. “They’re going to push you just as hard as you’re going to push them, so it’s only going to benefit me from a training standpoint. Then hopefully training camp goes well and I can crack the 23-man roster.”
