Timbermen bring on Derek Graham as Eastern Scout

The Nanaimo Timbermen are pleased to announce Derek Graham has joined the organization as an Eastern North America Scout. 

Derek grew up playing Minor Lacrosse for the Brantford Warriors of the Ontario Lacrosse Association. 

He is currently the only player to win all four Canadian National Lacrosse titles. 

Derek has won two Founder’s Cups (1987-88 - Kitchener Braves), President’s Cup (2001 North Shore Indians), two Minto Cups (1990-91 - St. Catharine’s Athletics) and three Mann Cups (1993-95 - Brampton Excelsior’s, Six Nations Chiefs). 

Team member of Canada’s inaugural Junior National Program, Derek also placed silver at the World Field Lacrosse Championships in Adelaide, Australia (1988). 

Graham was inducted into the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 and in 2018 he was also inducted into his High School Hall of Fame (BCI). 

As part of the Six Chiefs as well as the St Catherine’s Athletics, he was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the team category. 

Derek also played professional lacrosse over the course of 10 years, playing for the Detroit Turbos, Buffalo Bandits, Syracuse Smash, Washington Power and finally the New Jersey Storm. 

As a coach, Derek has won the OLA JrA coach of the year award, the Quebec Sr B  league coach of the year award and the OLA Major coach of the year award twice. 

As a professional coach, he served as Associate Coach/Associate General Manager for the Buffalo Bandits from 2008-2012, winning the World Championship (NLl) in 2008. 

Graham has also served on the First Nations Lacrosse Association Board as the Executive director and the Canadian Lacrosse Association Board as Athlete Director. 

“As I wind down my teaching career, I am again interested in striving towards Lacrosse titles. Winning coaching awards are honoring but as everyone knows, the ‘big game’ awards are the rings. I am excited to help Tewanee and his Naniamo Timbermen bring forever glory to his part of the Island. 

Gaylord Powless use to tell me that if I ‘learn the game, I can always be involved’. For me, that’s measured by Canadian National Championships.”