Brandon Lui started playing lacrosse in December.
The Hong Kong men’s box lacrosse goalie picked up a stick for the first time after playing roller hockey. He didn’t know much about lacrosse, but he trusted assistant coach Jordan Wong and didn’t look back.
It’s September now, Lui is playing in his third international box lacrosse tournament representing his country.
“We’re here to make a statement,” Lui said. “Hong Kong lacrosse is here to play.”
The 5-foot-8 goalie is one of many Hong Kong players who’ve recently picked up box lacrosse and have joined the national team under head coach Bob Snider. The team is making its second-ever appearance in the World Lacrosse Box Championships, after finishing 18th in 2019.
Snider brought six players from 2019 back to the championships this season, and 10 players from the national field roster from 2023. Surrounded by experienced faces, Lui’s been learning the ins and outs of box lacrosse as he plays every game.
Lui played against Mexico in Hong Kong’s second game of the tournament, a matchup Hong Kong won, 23-7. Mexico’s offense fired 36 shots and Lui made 29 saves. When he walked into the Hong Kong locker room, having to scuffle through the door frame sideways, the room erupted into cheers.
The young nation’s not-so-new kid has helped give Hong Kong a 2-0 record halfway through pool play.
“It’s been pretty phenomenal,” Snider said. “He’s just been rock solid for his last two games.”
Snider’s decades of lacrosse experience has been how Hong Kong learned about the sport, and it’s starting to impact the nation’s youth back home. Since the team made its first tournament appearance in 2019, box lacrosse is getting picked up by kids — from young children to teenagers.
This particular championship roster all started playing in their mid- to late-teens or later, and Snider’s been catching up the national roster through his plethora of knowledge. The players had to learn everything: how to pass, what the rules were and basic schemes.
“They’ve just been really eager to learn more about the game and how the game is played and what makes it successful,” Snider said. “Ultimately, they’re just eager to get better. They’re great learners.”
Now, the Hong Kong roster holds a higher standard. They’re watching teams like Canada, the United States and the Haudenosaunee take the game to an elite level.
Lui said he’s enjoyed watching Canada play in Utica, seeing how goalies like Dillon Ward fills the cage with his body and trying to mimic it with his goalie coaches. He calls himself a smaller guy, so Lui’s tried to analyze how some of the veteran goalies around the world use their height to their advantage.
Lui’s leaned on Snider’s guidance since putting on goalie gear for the first time 10 months ago and has fallen in love with the game since then. He believes his experience in Utica is one small part of his role in getting more athletes involved in box lacrosse.
That way, soon Hong Kong box lacrosse will emerge as a powerhouse one day.
“It’s only going to keep growing the game in Hong Kong, right?,” Lui said. “I’m going back with lots of experience, and hopefully we can bring even more new talent out every year.”
