Paul Gait

Paul and his twin brother Gary played NCAA lacrosse at Syracuse University as midfielders, where they set numerous records from 1987 to 1990 and popularized innovative moves such as behind-the-back passing and scoring. One of the best NCAA players of all time, Paul helped lead Syracuse to three national championships and was selected as a First Team All-Americans by the USILA three times, in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Paul was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1989 NCAA Division I Lacrosse Championship Tournament.{{cite news |last1=Andrews |first1=Cooper |title=IMMORTAL: Paul Gait's revolutionary lacrosse life encapsulates jersey retirement at SU |url=https://dailyorange.com/2024/04/paul-gait-syracuse-mens-lacrosse-jersey-retirement/ |access-date=18 April 2024 |work=The Daily Orange |date=18 April 2024}}

After defeating Loyola in the 1990 NCAA Division I lacrosse tournament finals, the NCAA determined that head coach Roy Simmons Jr's wife Nancy Simmons had improperly co-signed for a car loan for Paul Gait. Gait was ruled ineligible for postseason play, and Syracuse vacated their tournament records and title.Mike Preston, [https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/06/11/ncaa-rules-syracuse-must-forfeit-1990-championship/ NCAA rules Syracuse must forfeit 1990 championship], Baltimore Sun, June 11, 1995, retrieved May 12, 2014.

After college, he played with his brother for the storied amateur Mount Washington Lacrosse Club in the 1990s.Doug Brown, [https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/06/19/washington-mounts-its-title-drive-lacrosse-club-team-to-face-brine-of-boston/ Washington 'Mounts' its title drive LACROSSE Club team to face Brine of Boston], Baltimore Sun, June 19, 1993, retrieved May 26, 2010.

Paul and Gary have both starred at all levels of professional lacrosse, including the National Lacrosse League, the Western Lacrosse Association, Major League Lacrosse, and at the international level for the Canadian National Team. Paul was a 3-time winner of the Mann Cup MVP award. The twins were named Co-MVPs of the Mann Cup in 1999,{{cite web|url=http://bible-of-lacrosse.com/newstats/manncup.txt|title=Historical Stats of the Mann Cup|work=Bible-of-Lacrosse.com|accessdate=2007-08-15|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013004812/http://www.bible-of-lacrosse.com/newstats/manncup.txt|archivedate=2007-10-13}} when they played for the Victoria Shamrocks. Paul initially retired from play following the 2002 NLL season but then returned during the 2005 NLL season to play for the Colorado Mammoth with his brother. He played four games totaling nine points and then retired again after the 2005 season. Paul is sixth all time on the NLL points total list with 712 points in 13 seasons. In 2001 Paul was named the MLL playoff and championship game MVP, after leading the Long Island Lizards to their first MLL title, with a record setting 7 goal performance,(on 8 shots)in the MLL championship game. In 2002 Paul led the NLL in goals and points and was named the league MVP.{{cite news|title=Paul Gait named MVP|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/paul-gait-named-mvp/article1022563/|accessdate=February 25, 2018|publisher=The Globe and Mail|date=April 13, 2002}} He retired due to the early onset osteoarthritis in his back, ankles and elbows.

In 1990, Paul represented STX Lacrosse as a Sales Representative. In 1994 Paul started GBLax, a lacrosse specialty retail business located in Syracuse NY. In 1996 Paul sold GBLAX and became an independent lacrosse equipment design/developer for J.deBeer & Son, where he developed a line of lacrosse equipment for the softball manufacturing company. He was hired full-time by deBeer in 1996 where he worked, in various roles until 2011, ultimately becoming the company president between 2003-2011. In his tenure at deBeer he was credited for developing the modern women's lacrosse head (Apex) and has revolutionized the women's lacrosse pocket. He also introduced the Gait Brand of men's lacrosse equipment in 2003. deBeer/Gait quickly became the world's leading producer of women's lacrosse equipment and Canadian box lacrosse gear. In 2011 Paul founded Team 22 Lacrosse(Guilderland, NY), the exclusive licensee for Under Armour lacrosse products. Paul has 30 lacrosse related patents issued during his time in the business. Paul is also the founder of Laxpocket LLC, the country's leading producer of women's lacrosse pockets. Both Laxpocket and Team 22 Lacrosse are located in the Albany, NY area.

Paul was named the head coach of the Rochester Knighthawks on December 26, 2008, where he coached for two years.

NLL Weekly and Monthly Awards:

• Player of the Week (1994–2001) 7 times
• Overall Player of the Week (2002-) twice
• Offensive Player of the Week (2002-) 3 times
• Player of the Month 5 times

Paul along with his twin brother Gary Gait were inducted into The British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame on September 13, 2011 in a ceremony in Vancouver, BC.{{cite web|title=Paul Gait|url=https://bcsportshall.com/honoured_member/paul-gait/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005002507/http://www.bcsportshalloffame.com/inductees/inductees/bio?id=354&type=person|url-status=live|archive-date=October 5, 2015|website=bcsportshalloffame.com|access-date=February 25, 2018}}

In 2005, both Gait brothers were inducted into the United States Lacrosse National Hall of Fame. The following year, in 2006, both brothers were among the five charter members to be voted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame. Paul, Gary and Jim Brown were also named to the NCAA all century team.

Gait's #19 jersey was retired by Syracuse University in 2024. He is the third men’s lacrosse player to have his jersey retired after brother Gary Gait and Mike Powell.{{cite press release |title=Paul Gait's Jersey to be Retired |url=https://cuse.com/news/2023/12/19/mens-lacrosse-paul-gaits-jersey-to-be-retired |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Syracuse University Athletics |language=en}}

Gait was paralyzed from the waist-down after a 20-ft fall at the Gait Lacrosse warehouse in Altamont, New York on November 3, 2022. The fall left him partially paralyzed and unable to walk again.{{cite news |last1=DaSilva |first1=Matt |title=Paralyzed After Warehouse Fall, Paul Gait Says It's Business as Usual |url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/fuel/industry/paralyzed-after-warehouse-fall-paul-gait-says-its-business-as-usual |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=USA Lacrosse Magazine |date=20 January 2023 |language=en}} He underwent spinal fusion surgery at Albany Medical Center.{{cite news |last1=Axe |first1=Brent |title=Paul Gait on his paralysis: 'You've got to figure out how to win again' |url=https://www.syracuse.com/orangelacrosse/2023/01/su-lacrosse-legend-paul-gait-copes-with-his-paralysis-after-20-foot-fall-youve-got-to-figure-out-how-to-win-again.html |access-date=20 January 2024 |work=Syracuse Post-Standard |date=20 January 2023 |language=en}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box | before = John Tavares | title = MILL Championship game MVP | years = 1994 | after = Gary Gait}}

{{succession box | before = John Tavares| title = NLL Most Valuable Player| years = 2002 | after = Gary Gait}}

{{succession box | before = None | title = New Balance Major League Lacrosse
Championship Game MVP| years = 2001 | after = Mark Millon}}

{{s-end}}

• Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse

• [https://pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=442921&seasonid=748 Paul Gait: NLL Player Profile at Pointstreak.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070821102511/http://www.uslacrosse.org/museum/hofbios/gait_paul.phtml Paul Gait National Hall of Fame Biography]
• [https://archive.today/20070808082230/http://www.suathletics.com/Sports/Lacrosse/mLacrosse/2007/87mlaxstats.asp 1987 Syracuse Men's Lacrosse Statistics]
• [https://archive.today/20070808082230/http://www.suathletics.com/Sports/Lacrosse/mLacrosse/2007/89mlaxstats.asp 1989 Syracuse Men's Lacrosse Statistics]
• [https://archive.today/20070808082230/http://www.suathletics.com/Sports/Lacrosse/mLacrosse/2007/90mlaxstats.asp 1990 Syracuse Men's Lacrosse Statistics]

{{Reflist}}

{{NLL MVPs}}

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Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian lacrosse players

Category:Canadian twins

Category:Colorado Mammoth players

Category:Lacrosse people from British Columbia

Category:Major League Lacrosse players

Category:Mount Washington Lacrosse Club players

Category:National Lacrosse League coaches

Category:National Lacrosse League major award winners

Category:Philadelphia Wings players

Category:Rochester Knighthawks coaches

Category:Rochester Knighthawks players

Category:Victoria Shamrocks players

Category:Sportspeople from Victoria, British Columbia

Category:Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse players

Category:Phi Delta Theta members