Q and A with David Brock
Aug 24, 2021
August 24, 2021 - Ty Merrow
A first-round selection, getting cut as a rookie by the team that drafted him, almost winning an NLL Cup, traded during a pandemic, all that and everything between. Ten-year NLL veteran defenceman David Brock has run the gamut of experiences being a pro box player can bring.
Acquired by the Thunderbirds in a trade with the Toronto Rock back in July 2020, Brock has yet to don the purple and orange at Scotiabank Centre, but the Burlington, Ontario native has eagerly anticipated the first time he gets to wear those colors and play in front of the Thunderbirds fans.
Originally drafted by the Boston Blazers in the first round of the 2010 NLL Entry Draft, the University at Albany product was cut two games into his rookie campaign before signing with the Philadelphia Wings. After two partial seasons there, he spent the next five with the Buffalo Bandits, getting close to an NLL championship in 2016.
Brock’s best lacrosse has come late in his career, as he put up big numbers in transition and as a defender for the New England Black Wolves and Rock. In the interlude leading up to his 11th chapter, the 35-year-old has become a father, excited for all of the new challenges rearing a child brings. It’s one of the many things he spoke about as he caught up with the Thunderbirds ahead of the 2021 NLL Entry Draft.
How’re things? How’s being a new father treating going?
Fatherhood has been keeping me very busy. It’s changed my life for the better. Every day I’m excited to get up and see my son, and when I go to work, I’m excited to get home and see my son. Life is good.
How’ve you been staying in game shape for when the season starts in December?
So, you can never really simulate a lacrosse game, but I’ve been doing this so long now that I’ve sort of found ways to simulate it as best I can. Before I had my son, I was running about 100-120 kilometers a month, so I was running more than I ever have, anticipating getting back. I was in excellent condition, and then boom, I had my son, and keeping myself in game shape kind of fell by the wayside until about a month ago.
So, I’ve been back in the gym for about a month. Obviously, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and the gyms have closed, but they did open back up, and I have been getting in doing some weight training and going for some runs. Just preparing myself as best I can. I know training camp’s around the corner, so slowly but surely getting back into it. I’m 35-years-old now, so it’s not going to happen overnight, but each and every day working out and getting back in shape.
Let’s jump back to when you were 21, 22-years-old at University at Albany. You were a captain and played attack there, an example of a defensive box player having success in the offensive side of things in the field game. What do you attribute to your ability to have success out the back door in box and front door in field?
Yes, I was an attackman at Herkimer County Community College where I did very, very well. It helps being one of the only guys on the team who can catch and pass. Then I transferred to Albany where I did two years, had two great years playing attack for (Albany head coach) Scott Marr. Had a wonderful time there.
In hindsight, I wish I was a defender in college, because I think I would have been able to have a longer career in the field lacrosse game. But I think that, just again, being a box player and our skills are so finely tuned, and I had a mature IQ for the game, I just found myself in a position with good teammates and good players and was fairly successful down in college in the States. But looking back, I wish I had maybe known that my skill set was better suited towards being a defenceman, because like I said, I think it would have allowed me to pursue a longer career in field lacrosse.
Jumping to your rookie season in 2011, you’re drafted in the first round by the Boston Blazers, play two games for them, get cut, and then sign with the Philadelphia Wings for the rest of the season. What was your biggest takeaway from your rookie season?
Never take the opportunity for granted. At that time, there were only nine teams in the league. We had a coaching change in Boston, I played two games, and then was quickly released. I think I got a little bit complacent and a little bit comfortable getting drafted seventh overall, thinking I’m a staple in the lineup, nothing’s ever going to happen, I’ve made it. And you forget very quickly about how many people there are chomping at the bit to take your job. If you take one shift, one game, one week off, you’re quickly going to find your way out of the lineup, and that’s what happened. So, I just rededicated myself, refocused myself and got in better shape.
I remember sitting at home after I got cut - between being cut and being picked up by Philadelphia - and watching the NLL on TV on Saturday night sitting at home and thinking, “Oh my god, I should be playing in this game.” It really lit a fire under me to really never take it for granted and reminded me how much I love the game and how much I want to keep going with it.
Let’s jump into your style of play. Early in your career, you were considered a transition threat, then your five seasons with the Bandits had you in more of a stay-at-home role. When you played the New England and Toronto, your offensive numbers jumped up and your abilities in the back end were at arguably their peak, like you had meshed both styles together. How would you describe your current style of play?
I think my current style of play is defense first. I coach a lot of young kids, and I’ve been playing this game a long time. I tell my kids, “Defense first, and the transition will come. If you do your job, the transition opportunities will come.” So, I believe in going out, playing steady D, not cheating or taking off early or cherry-picking, and good things will come. I kind of took my own advice.
After I left Buffalo to go to New England, I was feeling a little more confident in a system that worked for me and focused defense first, and then lo and behold, caused turnovers increased, the loose balls increased, the goals and assists increased.
I just simplified my game and was playing more confident. I think I’ve been playing my best lacrosse the last three years. The personal accolades, the personal stats are great, but - it’s a cliche, but I want to win a championship. I can talk about my loose balls until I’m blue in the face, but I want to win a ring. It don’t mean a thing without a ring.
Speaking of a championship, your time with the 2016 Bandits was the closest you’ve come to hoisting the NLL Cup. A crazy team record, Dhane Smith going off, getting to Game 2 of the NLL Finals - what was that run like?
That was maybe the most fun I’ve ever had playing this game. I was living in Buffalo. I was running a school program where I had my stick in my hands every day, heavily involved in Banditland and the lacrosse community. We were living life like rock stars down there. I think we went 13-5 or something like that. We were just having so much fun. We had a great locker room, a great group of guys. Dhane Smith couldn’t miss. We got close, and you know what, that was a bit of a heartbreaker, because it takes a lot to get to the championship. We ran into a really good Saskatchewan team, who was the better team. That was a bit of a heartbreaker, but what a fun year and one I’ll never forget.
You signed with the Black Wolves in 2017 for two seasons then joined the Rock last season, talking about how you grew up watching the Rock and getting to play for them was a dream come true. Achieving that dream, does it help you focus on your goal of winning an NLL championship?
Growing up, going to Rock games as a kid, it was something I always wanted to experience, playing for the Toronto Rock. I had that opportunity, and I think we had a legitimate shot to win the title. But ultimately for me, it wasn’t a great fit, just something that didn’t really work out. Of course, I wish those guys success, and it’s a great organization. But yeah, it wasn’t a fit for me. I wasn’t super happy on the floor; I wasn’t super happy off the floor.
Halifax was a team that I really, heavily considered before signing with Toronto, being familiar with coach (Mike) Accursi, coach Billy (Dee Smith) is a very good friend of mine, and having played with a handful of guys on the Thunderbirds in Six Nations (Chiefs in Major Series Lacrosse), it was somewhere I felt very comfortable. It’s somewhere I thought I could have great success.
So when the opportunity came up to be traded to Halifax after a subpar year from me in Toronto, I jumped at it immediately, because I think that there’s a great opportunity to win an NLL Cup.
Father Time is not on my side. I’m on the back nine of my career. Great ownership group, great team, and a team that I really feel can compete for a cup. I don’t want to play 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 years in this league without winning, so I want to win, and I want to win now.
Let’s touch on that comment about your last season. Statistically, your time with the Rock was great - point per game, loose balls on pace to be a career high, low penalty minutes. Your caused turnovers were down, and that may have been because of the defensive systems the Rock like to use, but it’s interesting to hear you consider your 2019-20 campaign a down season.
Well, personally, I thought I was playing pretty well. I had an okay year. I scored a few goals, had a couple assists, I was getting a lot of loose balls, I was getting a fair amount of floor time, caused turnovers were down - it was more of the system that I was put in was something I wasn’t super familiar with, something I wasn’t super comfortable with. I know my strengths on the lacrosse floor. I’ve been doing things a long time. I know where I’m comfortable and what makes me successful, and I felt I was being put in places that weren’t allowing me to play to my strengths. So, yeah, I was having a good year statistically, but I wanted to have a better year statistically.
The year before that, I wanted to win Defensive Player of the Year, and I was close, and I felt like my game took a step back playing in Toronto. No discredit to them, nothing they did or nothing I did, it just wasn’t somewhere where I thought I could really allow my game to flourish and be the best player that I can be.
So with you hoping to get back into a role that allows you to be successful, what was it like recently re-upping for a year with the Thunderbirds and seeing them bring in some old linemates of yours, like Stephan Leblanc, on top of the players welcoming you to the team?
It’s been awesome, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to get going. I’ve been close with Stephan since we were about five years old. We started playing together at about five, and we played all the way up through Jr. A together. Then we went our separate ways at the pro ranks. We played in New England for two years together, and both of us had I think career years playing together in New England. We get along great. We were roommates. I love the guy; we’ve got a great relationship. But he’s also the kind of guy that will hold others around him accountable, and you don’t want to let a guy like that down. He is such a competitor and such a winner that I think he brings out the best in the people around him. I know that I was my best around him. I didn’t want to let him down, so I’m excited to play with him again.
Also, with Billy Dee being the coach in Halifax - he and I played together for many years in Buffalo, and we loved playing together. We had this unspeakable chemistry. It’s like he knew where I was going to be, and I knew where he was going to be. We played really well together. I liked playing with him, and he liked playing with me. So, I think playing for him now, I think he’ll know what I”m capable of, what my strengths are, and won’t try to limit me to a certain style of play.
And then of course from the management and ownership - (Thunderbirds owner and general manager) Curt (Styres) has been awesome, sending me Valentine’s Day gifts - just yesterday, I got a beautiful chair in the mail with my name and number on it, I got a jersey from these guys. They’ve made me feel really, really, really, really welcome, and it’s really nice to feel wanted.
Some teams will tell you how bad they want you, “Aw Brock, we want this, we want that, and we’d love to have ya,” and then others will actually make you feel that way, and Curt’s made me feel wanted. It’s been a really, really nice feeling, and I can’t wait to get going. He deserves a championship; he’s putting the pieces in place. I just hope I can be a contributing part to a championship run.
I’m very excited to get going. I want to finish my career in Halifax. I still think I have a lot of good years ahead of me, and this is where I want to be for the remainder of my career.
When you were with Toronto, you played two games against the Thunderbirds, once at Scotiabank Centre. What do you remember about playing against the team and about sitting on the visitor’s bench in The Nest?
I remember Cody Jamieson, and I remember Graeme Hossack and Jake Withers - oh my goodness, those three guys are standouts. I’ve played against Cody my whole life, and what a gamer. I played with him, I won three Mann Cups with him, I played with him for six years in Six Nations. If there’s a big shot, you need a goal, give the ball to Cody. He’s such a competitor; he’s so tough out there, and he’s hard to forget.
And then Graeme, obviously, is a world class defender. I’m 240 pounds; I think he picked me up and body slammed me twice last year. I don’t forget that. What a great team. Like I said, they’ve a more similar style to my style of play.
Playing in Halifax, it was awesome. I had never been there before. To play in front of nine or ten thousand people who are really invested in the game - it’s not nine or ten thousand people who are there for a social event; it’s nine or ten thousand people who are there to watch a lacrosse game and really let you know that they’re there to watch it. Purple and orange everywhere, very loud, very intense, very passionate, a really cool experience.
I look forward to playing there again and having nine or ten thousand people on my side and not nine or ten thousand people telling me how crappy we are.
Looking closer to the 2021 NLL Entry Draft on August 28, what’s your feeling heading into it for the Thunderbirds and some thoughts you have for the new players that will be selected by the team?
Well, I’ve seen how good these youths are coming up, and I know I’ve got my work cut out for me. I’ve got to come into camp in excellent shape and ready to play, because there are so many good players out there right now chomping at the bit to try to take a job. In terms of what we need and don’t need, that’s not my job. That’s what Curt, Mike, Billy and the support staff are for. I think those guys will address any needs that we have or any holes that need to be filled.
Advice for young guys, if I have any, is don’t take it for granted. Don’t take this opportunity for granted, because you never know. One day, you might get cut, or one day, you might be 35-years-old and in the middle of a pandemic and not sure if you’re ever going to get to play lacrosse again. So, don’t take it for granted and make the most of it.
You did an interview with Bob Chavez while you were with the Bandits and spoke about how lacrosse is a family affair in the Brock family: your grandfather and father played, your uncle played for the Detroit Turbos back in the day, and your grandfather gave you your first stick. Are you handing that stick along to your son, Theo, or do you have a different one in mind to give him when he’s old enough to play?
Thank you for asking. I don’t want to say it brings a tear to my eye, but it does tug on the heart strings a little bit, because yeah, it has been a family game. I’m so glad that my father got me involved in it. It’s given me so much opportunity. It’s really a special game to me.
In terms of getting my son involved, I’m not sure. I tell my wife, maybe, maybe not, but ultimately, I think I love it so much, and I love being around it so much and being involved that I don’t think there’s any way around having him involved, but I guess we’ll see when he’s a little bit older. If he wants to play, we’ll play; if he doesn’t want to play, we won’t.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Dream vacation?
Beach in Florida.
Currently listening to when you work out in the gym?
Fast country music.
Favorite guy to defend in the NLL one-on-one?
Mark Matthews.
Cheat day food?
Pizza. Pepperoni, green olives, mushrooms, red onion.
What’s a movie or TV show you’re currently watching?
Entourage.
Lacrosse mentor?
Billy Dee Smith.
Favorite lacrosse memory?
My Mann Cups with Six Nations.