IL Indoor

Character- the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.

Pretty straight forward in general terms but have you ever thought about what makes up the character of a lacrosse player? Take away the context of whether or not he’s a “team guy” and focus solely on their personality.

Personality- the visible aspect of one’s character as it impresses others.

So who in the lax world stands out as having great character and personality? To be completely unbiased would’ve been a lot of work, so instead we picked some names from a few hats, a few round table discussions and even got input from a few fans via the world wide web to bring you some of the top personalities in the game today. You may have your own thoughts, so let us know and after the jump check out some of the game’s more unique characters. They may not wear capes and spandex or have super powers but the ballers in today’s NLL definitely have character!

Mark Steenhuis- When you think of characters and personalities in the NLL, one of the first guy that comes to mind is clown haired, orange shoed Bandit, Mark Steenhuis. Ever since he broke into the NLL he has been a thorn in the side of opposing defenses and fans all at the same time. Fans hate him with a passion but it’s guaranteed that they would gladly accept him on their team. That’s a huge compliment. What makes him stand out? Besides the obvious, he’s infectious. Spend a few minutes with the guy and you will realize that his energizer bunny game is mirrored in his real life. A devoted father to his young kids, a loyal teammate and a true team fan favorite, the sales of orange afro wings will continue to rise in Banditland all thanks to one of the game’s best characters. Check out this interview with Mr. Who’s House from back in 2007

Dan Dawson– When you’re selected as the 68th overall pick in the NLL entry draft not many are expecting big things from you. However, when you take that 6th round label and turn it into an NLL MVP, First Team All-Star, multiple Mann Cup wins and countless other accolades you’ve obviously proved a lot of people wrong. But the man they call Dangerous Dan Dawson or Dancing Don Johnson depending on the night, has formed like voltron into one of the game’s biggest stars and personalities. . The Danger Zone videos he and his big, younger brother Paul Dawson created during the Blazers inaugural season were epic. Off the cuff, pure hilarity and showed all lax fans just what kind of person Dan is. He always makes times for the future stars of the game and is helping them on the right path with his Revival Lacrosse Camps. Now as he continues to evolve as an Ontario Fire Fighter, Dan looks to add an NLL title to his resume. Oh and be sure to look for Dan during the play-offs as his jiffy mustache is what legends are made of.

Paul Rabil- Everyone south of the 49th knew who Paul Rabil was during the middle part of the decade. The ‘beast from the east’ was a fitting nick-name for the Johns Hopkins grad. He could control a game all on his own based on pure athleticism but many questioned his ability, like many Americans, to transfer that gift indoors. He may not have done it instantly but after a couple of dedicated seasons and one ankle breaking overtime goal, he has shot to the outer stratosphere in terms of lacrosse personalities. Want to know how big his stock has risen over the past few years? Try adding him as a friend on facebook; you can’t he already has too many friends. However you can become a fan of this facebook page- he’s slowly taking over. An instant hit in Everett, Rabil has become the poster boy for American lax both indoors and out. He truly is a beast and as Insider’s Bob Chavez stated ‘He’s not gonna drop the gloves to fight, but that doesn’t mean there’s no fight in Rabil’ Will we see Rabil flow wigs in Everett? Maybe not but it’s a sure bet that Rabil #9 jersey’s will be selling like hot cakes all year long.

Geoff Snider- If you were asked to describe Geoff Snider in one word what would it be? You might use fighter, enforcer, face-off-whiz, heart, maybe even superstar but would you use the word funny? Most wouldn’t but that’s probably because they haven’t gotten to know him away from the turf. Sure he has a long list of enemies, skeptics, critics and pundits but one thing you can say about him is that he will always, always go through the wall for a victory. Case in point, look at his play in the 2008 ASG in Edmonton, both his knees where busted up as he took away MVP honors. But that’s not what makes him such a great personality. If you’ve ever heard his verbal diarrhea on the floor you’d know he’s very quick with his words and usually has a few good one liners. Take 60 seconds and get to know him then try to convince yourself that he’s just a fighter. Look at the NHL, NFL, NBA some of the best personalities and interviews are given by the guys that have a ‘bad rep’ on the playing field- well Geoff is one of those guys but take away the gear and savageness and you have a genuine, fan favorite that will be missed in Philly and cherished in Calgary.

Casey Powell- Much like Rabil, many purists were sure that Casey wouldn’t succeed inside the confines of the box and at one point it looked as though they were right. After some remotivation, a couple seasons in the California sunshine and a change of zip code Casey Powell is the reigning NLL MVP and one of the best players on the planet hands down. One of the most active guys off the rug, Powell continues to run his camps all over the country, be one of the top spokesmen for Brine Lacrosse and continually tries to one up Kobe Bryant. He knows he’s the face of American lacrosse and he carries that responsibility as well as any athlete in his role can.

Brodie Merrill- ever since IL mag did the cover story of Merrill back in 2007, “the best player in the world” has been surrounded by the hype. While on the floor he’s a tireless workhorse, he is rather unassumingly quiet outside of the game. That’s not to say his personality and character are any less dynamic. He’s done the lax shack vids with IL, he’s been a spokesman for Great Atlantic lacrosse and is of course one of the original faces of Reebok lacrosse. Like many of today’s NLL players, Merrill is very active outside the pro game as he is head coach and director of the Hill Academy where he’s helping Canadian kids get ready to make the step to the NCAA ranks. Sometimes hype is just a myth built by the media and while Merrill may not have an NLL title to his name, he does have a few Mann Cups and MLL awards to back him up but that’s not what he’s about. He’s about the game, the fans and the growth of lacrosse- that’s what makes him one of the best in the world.

Brett Queener- When polling the other Insiders who they would have on this list, one name continually popped up and it became obvious that when it comes to pure characters with personality, Brett Queener stands head and shoulders above most even though he’s only 5’10. Making the adjustment from field goalie to all purpose box player isn’t easy but he seemed to do it seamlessly. His hustle on the floor gives way to his personality when he’s allowed to let loose a bit. I think moon walking to an ASG skills competition pretty much sums up Queener. He may never win a league award or scoring title but his personality is a victory for the fans and the game of lacrosse.

Zack Greer-  Shawn and Scott Evans, Colin Doyle, Brian Langtry, Chris McElroy, Rhys Duch were just a few of the names that popped up when we threw the concept of the best personalities in the league out there. After a few tweets though, Zack Greer became one of the leaders. Sure he may not have the dynamic off field humor of Dan Dawson, may not have the charisma of Brett Queener or the flashy shoes of Mark Steenhuis but he does has passion to give back. Many lacrosse players give back in different ways. Helping out in the community, lax camps, charity events etc but the Swarms #88 has gone beyond that. If you aren’t aware of the Zack Greer Foundation have a look and see the effort he’s putting in to help out his nephew Daniel and other kids with Autism. Selflessness is something that big league athletes sometimes forget but efforts like his go a long way in showing a person’s character. Along with his foundation, Zack is also participating in Communication Shutdown November 1 in help to raise more money for Autism.

The lax world is a tight knit family and we all strive toward the goal of bringing the game to the highest levels possible but sometimes we need to relax and step away from the actual game, take a look at who some of our favorite players really are. Consummate professionals, hard workers, focused and dedicated athletes – yes. But they really are like you … and me! They are funny, clever, quick witted, selfless, thoughtful and so much more when we take a moment to look past the pads.

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