Most people consider the only national sport of Canada to be hockey.
However, what most don’t know is the other Canadian national sport is lacrosse.
So if Canada equals lacrosse, and senior Britt Farquharson equals Canada, then Farquharson equals lacrosse.
The Ontario, Can. native has been a team leader for the UC Davis lacrosse during her two-year tenure, leading all UC Davis scorers over that span with 75 goals.
The attacker took a break from preparing for this weekend’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championships to sit down with Aggie Sports Writer Jason Alpert to talk Canada, the Aggies’ chances this weekend and her future as a doctor.
Lacrosse is popular in Canada, right? How did you get your start?
I started in high school. I had injured myself playing softball. I couldn’t throw, so I thought I’d give lacrosse a try. From there I went and played on my provincial team and we traveled to the [United] States to play. From there I played on my national team.
What was it like to play on the national team?
It was awesome. It started off as a two-year tryout period, so it was a little grueling at first. But we got to play in Australia and at the Lacrosse World Cup in Canada.
You won’t be playing in Canada this weekend, but the MPSF Championships won’t be a cakewalk either. How do feel about the team’s chances?
I feel really good, especially coming off our game Sunday against Stanford. I think that was a coming-out game for us as the whole team worked together in that one. We didn’t have one player that had to carry the team on their shoulders. It was everyone who had to contribute. The defense, the attack, the goalie and the midfielders all played really well. I think that’s what the team needed heading into this tournament. We got the fifth seed, but I really think it’s anyone’s tournament.
You mentioned the Stanford game was a coming-out party. Do you think the team hadn’t played to its potential until that game?
Yeah, I think so. A lot of the talk this season has been about playing up to our potential. I think we opened the season with a great game against California, and then we’ve struggled with pulling together a whole 60-minute game. Even in the Stanford game we faltered in the first 10 minutes. We were able to put together a good 50 minutes after that, so we have some good momentum going.
So you open up against Oregon, a team you lost to earlier in the season. What’s the key to beating them this time around?
To beat Oregon, I think we need to play our game and not let them dictate. We also need to have confidence in what we can do and work together as a team. Putting together a strong 60 minutes might be most important. If we can do that, I think we can definitely beat Oregon.
You guys won the most games since the 2004 campaign with 10. What’s been the biggest key to the team’s success this year?
I think we had some great recruits and some great players from every class, which is a big plus for us. I also think it’s the drive and personnel that have really made the difference. We have a lot of raw talent, so when we work together as a team we can be unstoppable. I think that’s what happened in the second half against Stanford.
Coach Elaine Jones decided not to have captains this year. How did has that worked out?
It’s worked out really well. We did this joint-leadership type thing and it’s worked out well for us as we’ve had a very successful season. It allows people to step outside of their comfort zone and be leaders this year. It also spreads the responsibilities. It allowed people to be successful when they could be and allowed others to step back when it wasn’t their forte.
You and two other seniors are graduating so a lot of players will return. How do you think they will fare next season?
I think next year the team will be way better than we were this year. I think we have a really strong freshman class and six or seven really strong juniors as well. There are only three of us graduating, so I think the program can only go up. I feel that next year will be huge year for UC Davis lacrosse.
What’s been your favorite moment as an Aggie?
I’d have to say it was beating Denver in the first round of the MPSF tournament last year. That was the best game of the season last year by far. It was a huge upset and the whole team contributed. It was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever played in.
What do you plan on doing after graduating?
I plan on going off to medical school. I’m hoping to stick around in California for a while, do some research, finish up my MCAT’s and later apply to medical school. Hopefully I’ll be able to do some traveling and white water rafting before heading off to medical school.
Do you see yourself coming back to UC Davis lacrosse as part of the coaching staff?
I hope if my visa doesn’t run out too quickly, I’d love to stick around and help out at some of the clinics going on. I see myself going to medical school, so I’m not sure if coaching can be a possibility. At the same time, the thought of playing lacrosse for such a long time and all of sudden just being done is kind of sad, so I can never say never.
JASON ALPERT can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
