Gary Gait facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gary Gait

Gait in 2006
Current position
Title	Head Coach
Team	Syracuse Orange
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Biographical details
Born	(1967-04-05) April 5, 1967 (age 58) Victoria, British Columbia  Canada
Alma mater	Syracuse University
Playing career
1987–1990	Syracuse Orange (NCAA)
1991–1992	Detroit Turbos (NLL)
1993–1997	Philadelphia Wings (NLL)
1998–1999	Baltimore Thunder (NLL)
2000	Pittsburgh CrosseFire (NLL)
2001	Long Island Lizards (MLL)
2001–2002	Washington Power (NLL)
2002–2005	Baltimore Bayhawks (MLL)
2003–2005	Colorado Mammoth (NLL)
2009	Hamilton Nationals (MLL)
2009–2011	Rochester Knighthawks (NLL)
1990–2006	Canada
Position(s)	Attack/Midfield
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1995–2001	Maryland (Assistant, women's)
2005–2007	Colorado Mammoth
2007–2021	Syracuse (women's)
2011	Hamilton Nationals
2021-present	Syracuse (men's)
U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame Inducted in 2005
Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame
NLL Hall of Fame
Medal record Representing  Canada Men's lacrosse World Lacrosse Championship Silver 1990 Perth Bronze 1994 Bury Silver 1998 Baltimore Gold 2006 London

Gary Charles Gait (born April 5, 1967) is a Canadian lacrosse legend who is famous for his amazing skills as a player and his success as a coach. Many people consider him one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. He is currently the head coach for the men's lacrosse team at Syracuse University, the same place where he became a college superstar.

As a player, Gait was known for his creative and exciting style. He and his twin brother, Paul, made moves like behind-the-back passes and shots popular. His most famous move, the "Air Gait," was so incredible that it was eventually banned in college lacrosse.

Throughout his career, Gait won championships at every level of the sport. He won college championships, professional indoor and outdoor titles, and even a world championship with Team Canada. He has been honored for his achievements by being inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the United States Lacrosse National Hall of Fame and the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame.

College Career at Syracuse

From 1987 to 1990, Gary Gait and his twin brother Paul played for the Syracuse Orange. They were an unstoppable duo and changed the way college lacrosse was played. Gary was named an All-American four times, which is an honor given to the best players in the country.

He helped lead the Orange to three NCAA championships. He was twice named the best player in all of college lacrosse, winning the Lt. Raymond Enners Award in 1988 and 1990. When he graduated, he held the Syracuse record for most goals in a career with 192.

The Famous "Air Gait" Move

The Gait brothers were famous for their creativity. Their signature move was the "Air Gait." To do this, a player would leap from behind the goal, fly through the air over the crease (the area in front of the goal), and dunk the ball into the net before landing. This amazing athletic play thrilled fans but was later banned by the NCAA because it was so hard to defend against.

Professional NLL Career

Gait at the 2005 All-Star Skills Competition

Gary Gait had a long and successful career in the National Lacrosse League (NLL), which is a professional indoor lacrosse league. He played for 17 seasons and set many records.

• Detroit Turbos (1991–1992): Gait started his career in Detroit, where he won the league championship and was named Rookie of the Year in his first season.
• Philadelphia Wings (1993–1997): He then played for the Philadelphia Wings, winning two more championships in 1994 and 1995. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) five years in a row from 1995 to 1999.
• Other Teams: Over the years, Gait also played for the Baltimore Thunder, Pittsburgh CrosseFire, and Washington Power. He often moved with the team when the franchise relocated to a new city.
• Colorado Mammoth (2003–2005): He played his final seasons before his first retirement with the Colorado Mammoth. The team honored him by retiring his jersey number, 22, meaning no other Mammoth player can ever wear it.
• Return to the NLL (2009–2011): After a few years away, Gait returned to play for the Rochester Knighthawks before retiring for good as a player in 2011.

By the end of his NLL career, Gait had scored 1,091 points and was known for his incredible scoring ability.

Outdoor and International Success

Besides his indoor career, Gait also excelled in outdoor lacrosse. He played in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) from its first season in 2001. He won three MLL championships with the Long Island Lizards and the Baltimore Bayhawks. In 2005, he was named co-MVP of the league.

Gait also proudly represented his home country of Canada in international tournaments. His biggest moment came at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship. In the final game against the United States, he scored four goals to lead Canada to a 15-10 victory. It was Canada's first world title since 1978 and a perfect ending to his international playing career.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Gait became a successful coach. He even won an NLL championship in 2006 as the head coach of the Colorado Mammoth in his very first year.

He later coached the women's lacrosse team at Syracuse University for many years, leading them to great success. In 2021, he achieved a major goal when he was named the head coach of the Syracuse men's lacrosse team, returning to lead the program where he first became a star.

Awards and Records

Gait's career is filled with honors. Here are just a few of his major awards:

• Four-time college All-American
• Two-time NCAA Player of the Year (1988, 1990)
• Six-time NLL Most Valuable Player (MVP)
• Three NLL championships as a player
• Three MLL championships as a player
• 2006 World Lacrosse Champion with Team Canada
• Inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, NLL Hall of Fame, and Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Syracuse University Statistics

^(a) 5th most goals in a single NCAA season

^(b) 12th most goals in an NCAA career