Petterson striving for excellence in fourth season
Jan 22, 2024
Austin Owens I Halifax Thunderbirds
Coming into the NLL back in 2019, Clarke Petterson could have never guessed how his National Lacrosse League career would kick off as a member of the Halifax Thunderbirds. But now into his fourth season as a pro, the Toronto, Ontario product is starting to find consistency as one of the best righty-forwards in the league.
Petterson, 26, came into the league with the Thunderbirds, becoming the organization’s first draft pick. The fifth overall selection in the 2019 NLL Draft made an immediate impact, posting 16 goals and 38 points in just 11 games as a rookie (Nearly a 3.5-point-per-game pace).
However, Petterson’s rookie campaign would come to a surprising halt, as the global pandemic forced the NLL to cancel the season in March 2020.
With the world coming to a standstill and no lacrosse to play, Petterson had to find a way to stay ready for a season – whenever it did come time to return to action. Thankfully, he was living at The Hill Academy in Orangeville, Ontario alongside a few of his Thunderbirds teammates at that time.
“I had a great setup at The Hill, living with Luc (Magnan), Hoss (Graeme Hossack), and Reilly O’Connor. We’d all go to the gym – Hoss a little bit earlier than the rest of us – and we’d stick together on days we couldn’t go to the gym and do like push-up and sit-up challenges. We just kind of found ways to keep ourselves entertained,” Petterson said. “So making the most of that time helped me come out on the other side of it as a better person and player. Those guys were so key in playing a role for me, and we all held each other accountable and it was just a great time for us to focus on ourselves and get better.”
He added that every day, the four NLL players would go and play tennis on the campus, leading to their usual on-floor competitiveness spilling onto the court.
“I think I might’ve taken it a bit too far,” he said with a laugh. “We’d get into staredowns with each other and it did get a little heated. That was the big thing for us though, was not just working out and shooting together but keeping our competitive edge alive when no one else was able to compete against each other.”
After the decision to cancel a prospective 2020-21 season, the NLL returned that following December, with the Thunderbirds kicking off the season against Saskatchewan. Petterson led the way in his first game back in action with a pair of goals and five points in an overtime victory. He followed that performance up with a six-goal outing at home against Toronto, once again leading the Thunderbirds in scoring with seven on the evening. He finished that season with a new career-high 72 points, leading Halifax in scoring.
Going into last season, Petterson and the rest of the Thunderbirds’ offence got a shot in the arm, as future Hall of Famer Ryan Benesch re-joined the team via free agency after being snapped away for a season through expansion. The team also traded for veteran righty Randy Staats, giving the Thunderbirds a new righty weapon with a high pedigree and playoff experience in the lineup.
It also gave Petterson another player to learn from on the right side along with Austin Shanks.
The righty pair both finished with massive seasons. Staats led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 93 points in 17 games while Petterson had another career year with 32 goals and 84 points in 18 games.
“Adding Randy was a big thing for me. Because having Jammer (Jamieson) on the other side, it’s a little bit different. You’re playing offence together but you’re not playing the two-man games and working on your chemistry as much,” Petterson said. “(With another righty) You see goalies and defences from the same side, and that’s a huge bonus. So last year was so awesome being able to play with Randy. He’s so skilled, he’s the best pick-setter in the game and he’s one of the best shooters and feeders in the game.
“There’s nothing that he can’t do and he’s so competitive. Being able to play with him really helped me step up my game and see that there are so many things that I can continue to improve on to just try and get better.”
Improvement is always on Petterson’s mind. Whether it’s getting extra reps in after practice or catching film on teams from around the league, the forward is always looking for an edge. He added that lacrosse is his life and something that he spends countless hours studying.
“I think I’m always trying to go into practice with a couple of different things on my mind in terms of what I want to focus on,” Petterson said. “I’ll try and watch our previous game before practice and go, ‘I had this open shot two or three times and missed it or I should have taken a shot in this position.’ And then that’s something I can take a look at and be consciously aware of those spots you can take those shots and improve on things you see on film.
“After practice, I’m going to just go until I can’t anymore.”
Through five games this season, Petterson is currently leading the Thunderbirds in scoring with 24 points (13G, 11A).
Off the floor, Petterson has also gone through a change in scenery. He’s found his home in Halifax alongside second-year man Max Wilson – who has lived in Halifax for each of his pro seasons now.
“Living with Max, it was like being with the guys back during that 2020 year. We held each other accountable and now Max and I can have that and hold each other accountable,” Petterson said. “We make sure that we’re going to the gym and have our sticks in our hands. He’s big in the kitchen and making sure we’re eating healthy and staying away from sweets. So that’s been a huge help for me and that’s something I’ve been trying to improve on.
“...It’s always better when you're living with someone who shares that same lifestyle as you. It makes things a lot easier.”
He has become one of the key cogs on a Halifax roster that is looking to capture its first NLL Cup since 2014. With a skilled roster on the floor, the team has become even closer off of it, with that family mentality looking to be a defining factor in what Petterson and the Thunderbirds hope is a season to remember.
“Last year, if you talked to everybody, they’d tell you that this is a family. But now, it feels like we’re even closer. We’ve just taken it to a whole new level and we just all really care about each other on the floor and off the floor,” Petterson said.
“Just being able to get to know each other, talking about families. The vibe isn’t different at all but it just kind of feels like everyone is more involved with each other, and it’s been great so far. I think that goes a long way, regardless of what happens on the floor. We’re there for each other, and we’ve got each other’s backs.”