According to his birth certificate, Tom Makowsky is the old man of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association.
At 51, the Quinson elementary school teacher is proof positive you're only as old as you feel, especially when you're playing a young man's game.
As a forward for the College Heights Pub Assault, Makowsky is surrounded by players he used to coach when they were climbing the minor lacrosse ladder in Prince George. At least one of them he's known since the day he was born -- his 18-year-old son John.
The Makowskys are one of two father-and-son combinations in the PGSLA (Brett and Drew Doig of the BX Bandits are the other). Tom is tickled pink he gets to share the floor with his youngest son, who has become one of the most most versatile players on the College Heights roster. Tom doubled his pleasure when his oldest son Paul, 24, came home from Vancouver to suit up for the Assault for a couple of games this season.
"It's been the highlight of my sports career playing with John, and when Paul came up I played with the two boys and you couldn't ask for anything better than that," said Tom Makowsky.
"I feel like Gordie Howe, playing with his sons, Mark and Marty. My own dad (John Sr.) still plays oldtimers hockey and a number of years ago my brother (Tony) and I went to play tournaments with him and he was always telling me what a thrill it was. Now I'm doing that with my boys, I really understand that."
John doesn't have to think twice about whom he looks up to for inspiration.
"It's really fun getting on the floor with my dad, he's pretty much the reason I'm still playing,"said John, who first joined lacrosse when he was five.
For more, see Monday's Citizen
