Prout Gets the Call to the Hall

Gavin Prout, a member of Brooklin’s last Mann Cup championship squad, is one of the latest individuals that will be inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum.

It was recently announced that Prout will be one of the half dozen 2020 inductees into the provincial hall, which is located in St. Catharines.

An induction ceremony is traditionally held each November. Due to the pandemic, however, this year’s ceremony has been postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date.

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” Prout said about his latest induction. Prout, 42, had last played for the Brooklin Redmen (the organization changed its moniker to Brooklin Lacrosse Club prior to the 2019 season) in 2014. “I think you have to be out of the (Ontario Lacrosse Association) for a minimum of 5-6 years before you get inducted,” Prout said, adding he was fortunate as he knew some hall of fame board members were lobbying for his induction.

Prout, a Whitby native, first started gaining recognition when he starred at the Junior A level with his hometown Whitby Warriors. He played five seasons with the Warriors, from 1995-99. He ended up winning the Minto Cup, the Canadian Junior A title, in ’97 and ’99.  Prout then made the jump up to the senior ranks and was a rookie when Brooklin captured the Mann Cup in 2000.

Despite being a rookie, Prout had a major impact in the national finals that year, racking up 18 points, including eight goals, as Brooklin swept the Victoria Shamrocks 4-0 in a best-of-seven series.

Prout ended up appearing in 96 career games with Brooklin and averaged almost five points per outing.

Prout, who now lives in Oshawa, was also an offensive star during the 11 years he played in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

During his pro career he suited up for the New York Saints, Colorado Mammoth and Edmonton Rush.

He appeared in a total of 196 NLL contests accumulating a whopping 983 points (323 goals and 660 assists). He won an NLL title with the Mammoth in 2006.

Prout was also a field lacrosse star, playing professionally in the Major Lacrosse League. 

And he starred with the Canadian national men’s field lacrosse team as well. A highlight was winning the 2006 world championship.

Prout was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

“There’s still two more I’d like to attack at some point,” Prout said, adding he is hoping to one day also be inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame as well as the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Technically, Prout is already in the Canadian hall. That’s because in 2008, his Canadian squad was inducted via the Team category for winning the 2006 world field lacrosse title.

Prout though is also keen to enter the hall individually, via the Players category.

Prout has remained rather busy in his post-playing days.

He continues to serve as a manager for a health, dental and travel insurance company, a job he has held for 17 years.

Plus he also has three rental properties across the province that require his attention.

Prout has also remained involved in the sport by working with the Arena Lacrosse League’s Whitby Steelhawks the past three seasons.

He served as a co-coach – along with current Brooklin Lacrosse Club head coach/general manager Brad MacArthur – for the Steelhawks’ inaugural season in 2018. The Whitby squad captured the ALL championship that year.

Prout continued to be the Steelhawks’ co-coach last year. And he took over the club’s head coaching and GM duties for the 2020 campaign, which was cut short in March by the pandemic.

The ALL has yet to officially cancel its season and there has been some talk that if certain restrictions are lifted the league might be able to resume in September.