Good things come to those who wait. Even better things happen to those who use that time to improve themselves.
That certainly appears to be the case for the New Westminster Salmonbellies current No. 1 keeper Neil Tyacke.
The just turned 25-year-old played perhaps his best senior A lacrosse game on the eve of his birthday last Thursday, since being drafted into the Western Lacrosse Association in the third round by the Victoria Shamrocks in 2010.
The New Westminster Secondary School grad was the first star in the 5-4 victory over the Burnaby Lakers in a game that was anything but a defensive struggle.
More than 100 shots rained down on both goalies at Queen's Park Arena, with Tyacke stopping the lion's share with 49 saves.
In his first nine games as the Salmonbellies starter this season, Tyacke has a goals against average of nine and is third in the league with a .797 save percentage.
Not bad numbers for a young man who almost didn't get a look in junior A.
Tyacke spent most of his junior career playing at the B level before finally getting a chance to start in his final year with the Salmonbellies in 2009. Before that, he played just 102 callup minutes in goal with the junior A 'Bellies.
The likeable Tyacke said he was lucky to have been in that position. It gave him an opportunity to learn and grow behind co-starters Sean Tessarolo and Ray Hodgkinson.
"Just watching them and how they prepared, I tried to learn at every opportunity I got," Tyacke said. "I just really wanted to be a junior A goalie. It was a dream. It's just awesome to run out on the floor wearing the red and white."
The possibility of ever playing again for New Westminster looked remote after the draft.
Tyacke was released by Victoria after playing in just four senior A games, but was later picked up in a trade by the Burnaby Lakers for the remainder of the season.
In 2011, Tyacke started the season in Maple Ridge, but was again let go.
As luck would have it, the expendable Tyacke was brought back to Queen's Park last season as a backup for all-star starter Tyler Richards.
This season, Tyacke was thrust into the starting role when Richards was slow to return to the team after backstopping the Washington Stealth to the pro National Lacrosse League Championship Cup final. Tyacke has played all but 29 minutes so far this season.
"I'm just grateful I got the opportunity here," said Tyacke. "I knew T (Tyler Richards) was going to take a little time off, but not this. I'm just taking the opportunity."
Tyacke said he fully expects to go back to a backup role when Richards returns. But like his junior days, Tyacke chooses to dwell on the upside of that experience.
"I had no problem playing junior. I just knew I had to play. I had to get the shots from somewhere," he said.
And that above all, just might be Tyacke's mantra.
This year, he worked his way onto the practice roster of the Stealth behind Salmonbellie teammates Richards and Matt Roik, and revelled in it.
"I got experience in Washington getting the shots. The shots I got all year were so huge," he said. "I took every shot I could. I wanted every shot I could. Honestly, every opportunity I have had, I've wanted to learn and to get better."
And his falling career goals against stats and steadily improving save percentage numbers really do bear him out.
"I think teams need two goalies they can be confident in," he added. "I just want to help the team. . It's what I wanted as a kid."
tberridge@royalcityrecord.com
