Kevin Alexander - The Player Series

Kevin Alexander

“Alexander the Great”

Written by Rad Joseph

Born and raised in Victoria, Kevin Alexander began playing organized lacrosse at age five. His older brothers Ken and Frank both played for the junior and senior Victoria Shamrocks. At age 13, Kevin was the water boy for the senior Shamrocks lacrosse team. At age 15, he played in five games for the Shamrocks averaging three goals a game. Kevin actually played one game of senior lacrosse at age 13, when the Victoria team was short players.

When Kevin Alexander went on to play junior lacrosse, he became one of the highest scoring junior players ever, establishing a record 217 points in 28 games in 1976. In his last year of junior lacrosse, Kevin was named Most Valuable Player when Victoria won the 1976 Minto Cup. Of note, Burnaby Cablevision had picked up Alexander for Minto Cup play for the 1974 and 1975 Minto Cup.

 

Playing Junior for Victoria

 

Drafted by Nanaimo in 1976, Alexander played his first two Western Lacrosse Association senior level with the Timbermen.

Kevin was also part of a team participating at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton when lacrosse was a demonstration sport.



In 1979, Kevin was traded back home to Victoria. Of note, he scored on his first shift for the Shamrocks. Over the next eight seasons, Alexander confirmed he was one of the greatest goal-scorers in Canadian lacrosse history. When Alexander retired from box lacrosse in 1986, he stood as the WLA’s third all-time leading goal scorer. In 300 career senior games encompassing regular season, playoffs, and Mann Cup play, he amassed an incredible 797 goals and added 584 assists for 1381 points, good enough for a place in the top twenty professional players who ever played the game. Twice he led Victoria to the Mann Cup, as senior Canadian champions in 1979 and 1983.

In 1992-93, Alexander returned to play two seasons with the Buffalo Bandits helping the team to the league championship both years. Kevin Alexander represented Canada four times at the world field lacrosse championships. At the 1986 tournament, Kevin was voted to the All-World team and named best midfielder.

Kevin was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1991, the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. 

During his career, Kevin Alexander was a prolific goal scorer who won one Minto Cup, two Mann Cups, two NLL championships and represented Canada on the World stage. He won the Senior WLA Scoring Championship six times from 1980-1985. Alexander was named WLA Outstanding Rookie in 1977. In 1986, he was ranked fourth in all-time scoring, despite a shorter career than those ahead of him.

In summary, although playing the majority of his career in the Western Lacrosse Association with the Victoria Shamrocks, Kevin Alexander began his Senior career with Nanaimo in 1977-78, where he was WLA Rookie of the Year.  In 1979, when Alexander went to Victoria, his career included being a league All-Star 7 times, a league scoring champion 5 times, a 2-time playoff Most Valuable Player and a 2-time Mann Cup champion. He completed his lacrosse career playing in the National Lacrosse League for the Buffalo Bandits where Kevin was a member of the team which won back-to-back championships.

An on the floor leader known for his ‘refuse-to-lose’ attitude, Kevin Alexander was a dominating lacrosse player respected within the entire Canadian lacrosse community.


      TOP 10 ALL-TIME CAREER JUNIOR “A” REGULAR SEASON GOAL SCORERS

      ----------------------------------------------------------

                                           REGULAR SEASON   -    PLAYOFFS

                        GOALS    SEASONS    GO   ASS   PTS  -  GO  ASS  PTS

                        -----    -------   ---   ---   ---  - ---  ---  ---

   1. GEORGE CHANDLER    406  (1973-1978)  406   258   664  -  79   93  172

   2. KEN COLLEY         384  (1975-1979)  384   315   699  - 115  106  221

   3. JOHN DAVIS         368  (1960-1965)  368   286   654  - 209  150  359

   4. ROSS JONES         359  (1964-1969)  359   181   540  -  79   59  138

   5. GARY GAIT          356  (1983-1988)  356   267   623  - 183  149  322

   6. KEVIN ALEXANDER    332  (1972-1976)  332   286   618  -  17   15   32

   7. ROB GEMMELL        328  (1972-1978)  328   437   765  -  95  122  217

   8. STAN COCKERTON     319  (1970-1976)  319   315   634  -  66   90  156

   9. PHIL SCARFONE      318  (1977-1981)  318   281   599  -  73   70  143

  10. DEREK KEENAN       317  (1976-1982)  317   440   757  - 159  170  329

 

               TOP 40 ALL-TIME CAREER JUNIOR “A” POINTGETTERS

             ---------------------------------------------

                 REGULAR SEASON AND PLAYOFFS

                 ---------------------------

                                           REGULAR SEASON   -    PLAYOFFS

                        POINTS   SEASONS    GO   ASS   PTS  -  GO  ASS  PTS

                        ------   -------   ---   ---   ---  - ---  ---  ---

   1. DEREK KEENAN       1086  (1976-1982)  317   440   757  - 159  170  329

   2. JAYDE GIBBS        1070  (1977-1982)  307   402   709  - 144  217  361

   3. JOHN DAVIS         1013  (1960-1965)  368   286   654  - 209  150  359

   4. CAM DEVINE         1011  (1976-1980)  257   509   766  -  91  154  245

   5. ROB GEMMELL         982  (1972-1978)  328   437   765  -  95  122  217

   6. GARY GAIT           945  (1983-1988)  356   267   623  - 183  149  322

   7. KELLY MITCHELL      927  (1976-1980)  300   393   693  -  90  144  234

   8. KEN COLLEY          920  (1975-1979)  384   315   699  - 115  106  221

   9. JIM HIGGS           893  (1964-1969)  240   272   512  - 175  206  381

  10. JOHN FUSCO          884  (1980-1984)  194   403   597  - 103  184  287

  11. PAUL EVANS          877  (1971-1976)  264   347   611  - 102  164  266

  12. DOUG EVANS          843  (1979-1984)  193   382   575  -  78  190  268

  13. GEORGE CHANDLER     836  (1973-1978)  406   258   664  -  79   93  172

  14. LARRY FLOYD         825  (1976-1982)  218   309   527  - 134  164  298

  15. STAN COCKERTON      790  (1970-1976)  319   315   634  -  66   90  156

  16. JAMIE BATLEY        782  (1983-1988)  234   330   564  -  84  134  218

  17. BOB BURKE           776  (1972-1976)  233   331   564  -  88  124  212

  18. PAUL GAIT           758  (1983-1988)  289   252   541  - 109  108  217

  19. PHIL SCARFONE       742  (1977-1981)  318   281   599  -  73   70  143

  20. JOSH SANDERSON      737  (1993-1998)  255   274   529  -  92  116  208

  21. ADAM OATES          735  (1979-1983)  253   329   582  -  64   89  153

  22. DAVE LEGREE         720  (1972-1976)  269   269   538  -  93   89  182

  23. GAYLORD POWLESS     710  (1964-1967)  212   290   502  -  91  117  208

  24. RANDY DUPRE         695  (1973-1980)  200   375   575  -  41   79  120

  25. DELBY POWLESS       686  (1996-2001)  195   210   405  - 137  144  286

  26. JIM J.J. JOHNSTON   685  (1969-1974)  285   215   500  -  98   87  185

  27. JOEY HILTZ          683  (1984-1989)  254   236   490  - 108   85  193

  28. ROSS JONES          678  (1964-1969)  359   181   540  -  79   59  138

  29. TOM WREGGITT        677  (1972-1978)  304   261   565  -  39   73  112

  30. GAVIN PROUT         676  (1995-1999)  192   277   469  -  88  119  207

  31. RANDY BRYAN         666  (1970-1975)  204   247   451  -  89  126  215

  32. CODY JAMIESON       666  (2002-2008)  199   196   395  - 151  120  271

  33. PHIL CLAYTON        659  (1964-1969)  207   253   460  -  84  115  199

  34. SHAWN EVANS         656  (2001-2007)  199   263   462  -  71  123  194

  35. KEN WEBSTER         655  (1972-1976)  184   284   542  -  70  117  187

  36. KEVIN ALEXANDER     650  (1972-1976)  332   286   618  -  17   15   32

  37. JOE NIEUWENDYK      644  (1981-1985)  209   170   379  - 135  130  265

  38. JOHNNY POWLESS      643  (2009-2014)  195   166   361  - 109  173  282

  39. GRANT JOHNSTON      641  (1990-1996)  281   227   508  -  77   66  133

  40. MIKE McKEE          633  (1977-1981)  280   164   444  - 108   81  189