Dozens of lacrosse players positively impacted by the Justin Bosher took part in the late coach's first annual memorial game (Submitted photo/Matthew Hans).

By Aaron Schulze

Justin Bosher Memorial Game

Justin Bosher Memorial Game celebrates late coach’s legacy of lacrosse in Kamloops

Oct 27, 2021 | 1:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — Saturday’s (Oct. 23) forecast showed a chance of showers in Kamloops – not ideal for an outdoor lacrosse game in Kamloops.

But as Matthew Hans, Kamloops Venom Junior Lacrosse Club assistant coach Kamloops Minor Lacrosse coach, described, the late Justin Bosher was looking down on him and dozens of lacrosse players, as blue skies covered the game.

Bosher, a longtime lacrosse coach in Kamloops, passed away suddenly in August at age 54, survived by his wife and two sons. Two months later, Hans – who was coached by Bosher going through minor lacrosse in Kamloops, even being on his first team – kept thinking of how he and the community could memorialize Bosher.

After speaking with fellow coaches and former players with Kamloops Minor Lacrosse, the first Justin Bosher Memorial Game was organized at the Tournament Capital Ranch.

“We thought that would be the best direction,” Hans told CFJC Today. “Losing a man like that, who was so unbelievably selfless and would do anything for anyone but himself most days, in any situation like this is hard. Someone who grew the game and wanted to see it succeed in our community… was all he cared about a lot of the time. Losing that was massive but going forward and seeing the outreach from the community and people he connected with throughout the years, seeing them all show up and participate in the event on Saturday was a bit of a wakeup call.”

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(left to right): Jeremy, Joanne, and Josh Bosher, along with Matthew Hans. The Justin Bosher Memorial Game MVP award was presented to both Jeremy and Josh by Joanne (Submitted photo/Matthew Hans).

Hans says the game itself went smoothly. Players, coaches, parents and friends of Bosher attended and showed their support. Richard Roche with Gordon Food Service, a friend and old coworker with Bosher, even donated the food and beverages for their post-game barbecue.

During the weekend, Hans says a lot of younger players mentioned to him that they’d like to help with minor lacrosse in the younger age groups in Kamloops to continue growing the game.

“A lot of them had to step away,” Hans says. “When you’re in your younger age you have to focus on other things, but they see how much [Bosher] did and they don’t want that to be lost in our community. They want to grow and support the game like he’d want. This game was all about living his legacy of lacrosse in Kamloops, and I don’t think he would have wanted it any other way.”

Hans says they intend on making the Justin Bosher Memorial Game an annual celebration in Kamloops.