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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Brad Self Ready for Next Challenges

June 1, 2015 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Rochester Knighthawks' season may have come to an end, but that doesn't mean the players are slowing down by any means. For many, the offseason is not only a time to recuperate but a chance for them to play for their summer teams.

For Knighthawks defenseman Brad Self, this offseason is going to be full of new adventures and growing the game he loves to play, all while preparing to welcome his first child into the world.

The week after the Knighthawks season ended, Brad and his wife, Alicia, packed up and moved to Lewiston, NY, just outside of Buffalo. Living right between Rochester and his hometown of Peterborough, Ontario is perfect for Self who will be able to continue playing, while not being far from his family.

This is also where Brad plans on continuing to teach kids about lacrosse through his lacrosse camp business. Nationwide Lacrosse, which was founded by Self and former Knighthawk and current Calgary Roughneck forward Shawn Evans, runs camps, clinics and leagues to teach children of all ages the fundamentals of lacrosse.

"My wife is from the states so any time we were talking about moving state-side, we always talked about Lewiston because it is right across the border," Self said. "I'm hoping to be able to take Nationwide to the Niagara Falls Region and start expanding the business and growing the game of lacrosse."

Self will continue to play lacrosse in the summer, having already rejoined the Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse. He wasted little time after his NLL season end, as he showed up the next day to practice with the Lakers.

"I'm planning on getting out there on the field with them now and playing through the summer," said Self, who had 21 points in 16 games (8+13) with the Lakers in 2014.

He returned to the Lakers after another impressive season with the Knighthawks. Self, who finished the regular season with 20 points (6+14) and a career-best 133 loose balls, was a standout in the postseason for the Knighthawks, finishing with a career-high 10 points in four games (4+6).

"Brad has always had a knack for making big plays in big games and this year was no different," said his brother and teammate, Scott. "He really seized the opportunity and I believe he was our best all-around player in the playoffs."

In Game One of the East Division Finals, the 34-year-old defenseman carried the Knighthawks to a 10-9 victory over the Toronto Rock at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena, posting a career-high six points (3+3).

"(Self) was very good tonight," Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen said after Game One. "Sometimes we've got to focus on holding the backend first and he did that with spades tonight and then on the front end which is great to see for us. (But) it's not on one guy to do it for us. It's on 16 guys to step up each and every shift. Everyone played their roles and it was nice to see the win."

"The ball just fell for me and I had a lot of opportunities," Self said. "We only had two lefties so I had to fill in that role. I'm just thankful that the coaches and my teammates had the confidence in me to step up and contribute."

Though the Knighthawks season ended in the East Division Finals, Self knows that next season he and the team will be hungry to make another run for the Champion's Cup.

"You get so used to winning, but we know you can't win them all," Self said. "Any loss is hard to swallow sometimes, but I am confident that we are going to come back next season and continue to work hard toward our goal."

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