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

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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

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REGULAR SEASON AND PLAYOFFS

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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