How Ryder Garnsey Draws Inspiration from Notre Dame, Mikey Powell, and Youtube

A blend of inspirations on Garnsey’s game

After only three games, Garnsey’s already scored the second most goals he ever has in a season, with 14  (1st in the PLL). And he’s five goals away from matching his career high. This impressive surge in production largely comes from Garnsey taking over the left wing at attack full-time after his teammate Matt Kavanagh was traded last year. 

Redwoods LC general manager and head coach Nat St. Laurent made the move with Garnsey’s potential in mind. “As hard as it was to move away from Kavanagh, it just opens up that side of the field for Ryder to be the main event over there,” St. Laurent said this offseason.

Garnsey’s spectacular scoring prowess this year, including an Opening Weekend game with a season’s worth of highlights, is fed by inspirations from the past. One player, in particular, had him captivated: Mikey Powell.

“Growing up, watching guys like Mikey Powell. I think that is probably the first time I can be like, ‘Oh my God, I want to do something like that,’” he said. 

And because Garnsey’s physical tools don’t allow him to get wherever he wants on the field, he sees his Powell-inspired creative scoring style as necessary.

Adding to his unique scoring approach, Garnsey’s path to his goals is less planned than the league’s other prolific scorers. 

“I’m sort of waiting for the defenseman to play his cards a little bit and then sort of counter it,” Garnsey said. “I can’t run by someone and just get my hands free and score. I have to be reactive rather than dictating what’s going on on the field. I think that that’s where the unpredictability comes from.”