Multi-team player now stranded

LACROSSE

Posted By IAN SHANTZ

Posted 8 months ago

It's one of those ugly situations. The kind of messy scenario that creeps in at all levels of sport.

On one side, you've got an athlete who, in this case, loves to play lacrosse, and wants to play as much of it as possible.

Chad Culp wants to play for the Barrie Lakeshores -- a Major Series Lacrosse team he joined when it entered the league in 2005. He wore the 'C' in Barrie last year and led the team in scoring with 75 points.

He also wants to play for the Owen Sound Woodsmen, a Sr. 'B' outfit he won a national title with last season.

Culp lives in Owen Sound and has played for both teams the past two seasons.

The Lakeshores and Woodies were affiliated for several years, making it a match made in lacrosse heaven for Culp, who spends his winters racking up points with the National Lacrosse League's Minnesota Swarm.

The player wants to play for two teams, the teams agree to it, and so it goes. That's the one side, Coles Notes-style.

The other side, which could turn even messier before it gets cleaned up?

The Lakeshores agreed to let Culp play in Owen Sound the past two seasons, so long as it didn't conflict with Barrie's schedule. Essentially, it was agreed upon that Culp's allegiance would be pledged, first and foremost, to Barrie. When the schedule allowed, or once the Lakeshores were eliminated from the playoffs, Culp was free to strut his offensive talents with Owen Sound.

But the Lakeshores -- namely team owner and president Mike Kloepfer -- had a change of heart prior to the start of this two-week-old season. They wanted Culp playing in Barrie, and Barrie only.

"We don't think Chad should be playing Sr. 'B' lacrosse," Kloepfer said. "We don't want Sr. 'B' teams forcing our hand any more."

There is validity in that point.

First, what happens if Culp gets injured while playing for the Woodies, therefore making him unavailable to the Lakeshores? It wouldn't be fair if Owen Sound's gain became Barrie's loss.

The Lakeshores, after all, own Culp's summer rights.

There's also the issue of competitive value. Sure, the Woodies are Presidents Cup winners, but they're also playing in a level below the MSL. So does playing Sr. 'B' hinder Culp's development as a player, or open the window for bad habits to be formed?

Only Culp knows the answer to that.

When it really comes down to it, though, about the only one who needs to be concerned with Culp's development at this stage of his proven career is Culp himself. Maybe the Swarm, but certainly not the Lakeshores.

As for the Barrie-Owen Sound affiliation, that's since been broken off, resembling more of a messy divorce with the settlement papers scattered all over the floor. The Woodies have since affiliated themselves with another MSL team, the K-W Kodiaks.

Worth noting is that Culp hasn't played for either team this season. He's nursing a high-ankle sprain sustained during Minnesota's push for the playoffs, and he'll be sidelined for at least a few more weeks.

But when and if Culp returns, it appears it will be at the discretion of, A) Kloepfer, or B) the Ontario Lacrosse Association.

"His summer rights are property of the Barrie Lakeshores," Kloepfer said, adding if Culp doesn't suit up for the Lakeshores this season, "it would be fair to say he won't be playing this summer, anywhere."

Of course, Culp can file an appeal to the OLA, which governs both leagues.

"Getting healthy is my No. 1 goal right now. That's all I'm worrying about right now," said Culp, adding it's been difficult enough working his construction job with a swollen ankle.

But when his health does improve, Culp said he'd love to resume the dual-team setup.

"The more lacrosse, the more practice, the better you're going to get," the Arthur native said. "(The setup) is what I did the last two years, and I didn't think it would be a problem. But when it's not in your hands, I guess there's really nothing you can do."

As for Woodies GM Mark Berner, he's not happy the Lakeshores-Woodies relationship broke down, adding the teams have had their differences in the past, but this one takes the cake.

"It's frustrating. (Chad) lives in Owen Sound, and he works here. By playing in Barrie, every game is a road game," Berner said, adding a similar situation involves Lakeshores-Woodies' player Chris Driscoll, who is Lakeshores' property. "It really is an unfortunate situation. But it's probably hurting Barrie more than anything else. We're just trying to get local players playing locally. That's not to say they can't play for Barrie."

If only it were that easy for the 27-year-old Culp, who just wants to play lacrosse. But, apparently, it's not.

"It's between (Owen Sound) and Barrie, I guess," Culp said.

As a side note -- and an all-important one -- it's safe to assume the one thing at the heart of this unfortunate saga is none other than the almighty dollar. Cash. Cold and hard. Like it or not, the stuff flows like a river in these leagues.

Funny thing, though. For all the talk coming from the parties involved, money was never mentioned.