Player Spotlight


Player Spotlight highlights the finer details and elements while supplying insight to the fans on what a player's thought process may be pertaining to a certain play, game or situation. It brings the intensity, passion, and inner most thoughts of the individual player that otherwise may not be felt or heard.

In the Player Spotlight this week is Shawn Williams of the Buffalo Bandits. Shawn Williams is one of many newcomers with the Bandits. He shuffled off to Buffalo in a draft-day deal with the Toronto and will try to help the team rebound from last year's disappointing 4-8 finish. As luck would have it, the Bandits opened the National Lacrosse League season Saturday night at home against the Rock and dropped a hard-fought 17-14 decision. Williams had a goal and three assists against his former teammates.

PLPA correspondent Tom Borrelli interviewed Williams after the game.

Question How do you like the mix here in Buffalo after coming from a championship team in Toronto?
Answer We definitely have a big challenge ahead of us. But I'm totally up to that challenge. They expect a lot out of me and my role has changed from that in Toronto. So I'm very excited about getting things going and see what we can do as a team.


Question How will your role be different in Buffalo?
Answer My game is all about scoring, especially in the summertime (in the Ontario Lacrosse Association). Putting the ball in and setting up to score, that's what they're expecting me to do here. That's exactly what I hope to do.


Question Talk about your big summer in the OLA with the Brooklin Redmen.
Answer I had 12 goals and nine assists in one game where everything was clicking. Every pass I made, somebody would score. It was one of those unbelievable nights. I took 19 or 20 shots that night.


Question How did the 21-point game feel?
Answer It felt great. It was just one of those nights where you really feel that every shot you take is going to go in the net.


Question Was it difficult to be traded from a championship team?
Answer At first it was tough. I had never been traded before and hadn't been through that aspect of the sport.


Question Why were you on the trading block?
Answer To be honest, I don't know why I was on the trading block. I've questioned it but I really don't know. Toronto wanted a high draft pick to try to get a goalie and things just worked out for both teams.


Question What advantages are there about being sent to a younger team in Buffalo?
Answer I'm definitely a born leader and I love challenges. It's going to be a good thing for me here.


Question Rookie head coach Ted Sawicki is trying to stress defense in Buffalo. Does that suit you?
Answer I'm a two-way player, I don't consider myself one-dimensional at all. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to make this team successful.


Question What excites you about your new team?
Answer Once we get set and our lines get clicking, run and gun will be our strong point. Some people have written Buffalo off already because of what happened last year but that's good for us. We'll catch them on their heels and show them all what we've got.


Question How did it feel to open against your former teammates?
Answer I kind of had a smirk when I saw we opened against Toronto. I knew it was going to be emotional for me but special, too.




PLPA Correspondent

Tom Borrelli, fell in love with lacrosse while writing for his school campus paper "The Record" as a student at Buffalo State College in 1977.

He has seen and covered over 1000 games at all levels which includes the Buffalo Bandits for the Buffalo News since their inception in 1991, NCAA Tournament games, Final Four Championships, upstate New York schools games, the Canadian Mann Cup Championship, the OLA Major Box Lacrosse Series, the Buffalo Gamblers of the OLA Major Series and high school events.

Tom presently writes for the Buffalo News and does extensive feature writing for Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse. Between pro box, college and high school field and OLA box lacrosse Tom attends about 50 to 60 games a year (and Dick Vitale thinks he has it made with hoops!) The PLPA is happy to have Tom on board as a contributing writer for the Player Spotlight.