Dan & Paul Dawson: Playing for Pops
PHOTO: COLLEEN GRIMES
Between the two of them, brothers Dan & Paul Dawson have played 558 games in the National Lacrosse League, winning a couple NLL Cups together along the way.
Dan will turn 40 just a few days into the upcoming 2021/22 NLL season, his 20th actually, and second with the Toronto Rock. Paul, the current captain of the Rochester Knighthawks, is 36 years old and about to enter season 14.
They are two of the oldest players in the league today. They are also two of the most physically fit, most determined, most driven, and most respected as well.
Those characteristics are a result of a work ethic instilled in them by their father, Joe, who, whether in person or spirit, was present for each of those 558 NLL contests. As Paul said, “We’re still doing this because of him.”
On August 15th of this year, after a courageous fight against cancer, Joe Dawson left us. He left us with two incredibly talented & thoughtful lacrosse-playing sons. He left us with two daughters, Jodi & Ashlynn, who may not have played lacrosse professionally, but as the boys said, were loved by Joe equally as much. He left us with too-many-to-tell-NLL-post-game stories, many of which probably shouldn’t be shared, at least not here.
He may have left us, but he left us with a lot.
As Dan & Paul prepare for yet another NLL season, The Lax Mag sat down with them both to talk about their roots, their careers, their aspirations for the year ahead, and of course, their father, “Smokin’ Joe”.
TLM: You were both playing completely different positions when you started in the NLL – Dan in a more defense-first role and Paul a promising prospect between the pipes. What changed?
Paul: The one thing is that it was never supposed to be permanent. I was the third-string goalie for Brampton since my Junior ‘A’ days. Then I got protected by the Senior team. We were sitting there watching warmup or something, we were shorthanded guys, and (Brampton Excelsior’s Coach) Troy Cordingley was like, "Hey, what do you think if you just played defense for a couple games?”
I’d just got drafted seventh overall as a goalie by San Jose, who probably had plans on me being their goalie of the future, and now here I am being asked not to be a goalie during the summer season.
I called Dan, who said, “Ultimately, it's up to you, but you’d be helping a team right now if you do it.” I was third string, so it’s not like I was going to play much anyways, so figured, “Okay, you know what? I'm going to do it.”
Dan: He didn’t even have a stick.
Paul: I didn’t have nothing! But I started playing, transitioning to a new role, helping the team, and I was having fun again. It also that I could fight, so…
Dan: I was in Victoria that summer playing for the Shamrocks. I remember I'd get the odd text, "I just saw your brother chase someone to the box," or, "I saw him beat up someone else." My brother's causing amok at 21-years-old, and never played out!
TLM: Were the Stealth finding it as funny?
Paul: So yeah, San Jose got wind, and they were not happy. I think I actually ducked (GM) Johnny Mouradian’s calls for a month or so, but then again – I was no world beater – but I started getting better at the game. (Colin) Doyle talked to Johnny and was like, “Hey listen, this guy's pretty good. I think we should give him a shot.” Johnny changed his tune, gave me the option, I figured I’d try it and got serious about it. I had an okay camp. I don't think Wally (Walt Christianson) was too high on me, but Johnny went to bat for me, signed me, and that’s where I’ve been ever since.
TLM: And Dan?
Dan: In my first four years of Junior ‘A’, I wasn't very good. And that fifth year, I won the league MVP, and I was strictly offense. Jeremy Tallevi said, "Hey, here's the keys to the team. Do whatever you want. Offense, defense, playing short-man, power-play." And then that led into Bob Hamley in Columbus, who was new coming in to the Landsharks organization, saying, "Yeah, Dan, you're strictly an offensive guy now."
TLM: You guys have been around the NLL for the better part of two decades. What are the biggest changes you’ve noticed over that time?
Dan: I was on the tail end of the old regime of dress pay, non-dress pay. What the PLPA (now NLLPA) has done for this league and the partnership it's built with the league, to players actually taking the word “professional” serious in the way they train, eat, travel, conduct themselves on and off the floor.
The amount of quality people that are involved at the ownership level that really want to see this game grow too. They're connected to this sport now. You think of Joe Tsai, Jamie Dawick, all these guys that understand that they own a professional lacrosse team. We don’t just have a league that’s just trying to fill arena dates anymore. We have owners that are extremely invested in this league and the sport.
Paul: Yeah, I mean, on the floor, honestly, just stick skills and guys coming in. Kids are coming in, again, as serious athletes. Guys are no longer just showing up and playing. Players are more prepared and more serious now. I think the product has always been good, but I just think the skill that everyone has now, even D guys, is at such a high level. Everyone is so good.
TLM: You were both two of the early Oakville guys that made it to the NLL. Now it seems like there’s Oakville boys on every roster. Why?
Paul: Yeah, it's crazy. I'd say you look at a guy like Rob McDougall, God rest his soul, he's one of the guys that made this growth possible. But if you look at the TRAC in Oakville, you're now seeing the fruits of that facility. And with the youth development happening at the TRAC today, you’d have to think that Oakville number in the NLL will double in another ten years. Oakville lacrosse has exploded.
Dan: For us, and Pauly’s teams were a lot better than mine growing up, but we were a B centre, tops. Oakville barely had enough to fill one team from both age groups back then. The younger group and the older age group now, they've got two and three teams at certain ages. So, like Pauly said, it goes to obviously the countless hours and effort from the volunteers and board members in Oakville Minor, but let's be honest, if you build it, they will come. And that’s what’s happening at the TRAC. It’s been a game changer.
TLM: You recently lost your father, Joe Dawson, who many described as “the ultimate lacrosse dad”. He never missed a minute of either of your careers. Does going into this upcoming NLL season feel any different without him by your side?
Dan: It'll be heavy. We both have experiences with Dad together and apart. I would be playing Friday night in Arizona, and Dad would be finishing a shift, fly out, and he would – this was his move – he would walk down the aisle while we were on the floor preparing for the game, and he'd sit there with his carry-on bag until I acknowledged that I knew he was there, and then he'd go do his thing.
And then Saturday, he would be on a flight to San Jose to watch Paul later that night. He closed the bar down after most of the games, then he headed back home, and at work Monday morning. So not only have we lost our dad, but the NLL has probably lost one of its greatest fans of all time.
But for me, every game I'm going to play, I just want to make him proud. And for a long time, if you knew Dad, I will say that he never let you settle. But when you left the room, he would tell you that his sons were the greatest lacrosse players of all time.
Paul: I was thinking about this the other day. It is weird. It's just, you always know he was either at our game or towards the end watching from home. One on the laptop, one on the big screen. Even when we played out west, he watched the whole game. Somehow he never fell asleep no matter how later it was.
Maybe there'll be some tears behind closed doors. We’ll be playing for him. Like Dan says, we just want to make him proud. And the way you make him proud is by busting your balls and working 110%.
Dan: He wasn't a really emotional guy until he got sick. And even then, wasn’t overly emotional. But towards the end, he asked the doctor, "Can I go travel to watch my boys play?” And the doctor replied, "No, Joe, you can't. It would be too much for you." That was the only time he ever really cried. The medicine that my dad got watching our games, that was everything to him.
TLM: What are your expectations for this upcoming NLL season?
Paul: I think we have some pretty lofty goals in Rochester. I think we've made a lot of good changes. I think we’re a solid team. I don't think we're getting the respect we deserve. I haven’t seen anyone mention how big an addition Matt Gilray is for us. Signing Evan Kirk was huge too. We were a competitive team during our expansion season. I still think there's some question marks, but I think we've really improved. So as a team we're now expecting to win games where before we wanted to work hard and learn some lessons from those games. We’re expecting a lot more this year.
Dan: Father time doesn't stop for anyone, but I think for me personally, the 600-some odd days off have been good to rest my body. From a team standpoint, I really did think we had something special that last season. We've made some acquisitions in the backend that I think have really helped us. But as you know, it's any given Sunday in the NLL. We'll see what happens, but let's be honest, a home playoff date in Hamilton is what’s on the Rock’s radar.
TLM: Individually, is there anything you’re still hoping to achieve?
Paul: I would honestly love to try and get 100 loose balls. I think I was actually kinda on pace that last season. I’d love to hit triple digits. Like I clearly won’t, but I’d love it if I did.
Dan: I guess it’s a team thing, but another championship. I know it's such a cliche, but I need it. I want it. Once you get one, it’s like a drug. And I’d also love to win another so I can experience that with my three boys too (Theo, Brooks and Kai).
TLM: What makes your brother the highly successful player he still is today?
Paul: His focus & drive. I don't think you'll find many that have the same level as Dan. I think he's sacrificed a lot. That's just kind of the personality he has, a very all-in personality person. There's a reason why he looks the way he does at 40. And to play at 40, when a few years ago some counted him out, that doesn’t just happen. Even when he was getting scratched in Sask, he was running the hallways doing sprints at the arena. You're not going to see many 37, 38-year-olds doing that. I think the drive & determination that he's put into the game of lacrosse has made him who he is today. He wasn’t blessed or born with the skills he has today. He spent a lot of time studying the game, improving those skills, and that all comes from the work ethic our dad instilled in us.
Dan: It's simple. He fucking loves it! That's the thing. Pauly loves the grind. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who works out harder than him off the floor in the weight room. He's so knowledgeable. He's an ultimate team guy. I've said this before, everyone around him plays six inches taller and 20 pounds heavier when he's on your team. He'll do anything for his team. And the fact that he hasn't been Teammate of the Year is ridiculous, but I think that's because half his teammates are scared of him too.
We both kind of said it. We're always trying to get better, and we have Dad to thank for that.