In the National Lacrosse League, loose balls often decide possession and possession decides games.
Milestones can say a lot about a player’s identity, and Vancouver Warriors defenceman Reid Bowering reached 705 loose balls and counting in just his fifth NLL season. It’s a reflection of how his game has transformed from a transition-driven rookie into a reliable, physical presence on the defensive side of the floor.
Early in his career, Bowering’s impact showed up in flashes up the floor. His athleticism made him a threat in transition and a magnet for loose balls, allowing him to turn defence into offence in an instant. He earned the Warriors’ Rookie of the Year honours in 2022 after putting up 25 points (13G, 12A), collecting 214 loose balls, registering 34 caused turnovers and 26 blocks. Bowering’s 214 loose balls tied the NLL’s all-rookie record for loose balls in a single season with former NLL defenceman Brodie Merrill (2006).
As the Warriors’ systems, personnel, and expectations evolved, so did Bowering’s role.
“I think it's just such a big part of lacrosse to have possession of the ball, and grabbing loose balls are “juice plays” in a way to get the team going, especially if it's a tough one, or you really need the ball if it's a tight game,” Bowering said. “If I’m not scoring or contributing in that way, it's always nice to get a good loose ball to help the team.”
He’s picked up 60 loose balls in 10 games this season, and while the loose balls have remained constant, how he’s getting to the end result has changed over the years.
Since entering the league in 2022, Bowering has had three different coaching staffs with different systems and experienced roster shifts. Now, with the Warriors running the same defensive structure for the third straight year, his game has settled into something more instinctual.
“I've learned a lot just about defence in general, and I feel like I've become a better defender because of the players that we've brought in, all the veterans, and obviously the coaching staff,” Bowering said. “Having the same coach for three years in a row now, you get to build off that every season.”
The stability has allowed Bowering to shift his mindset from reacting to plays to controlling them, a change that Warriors’ Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky gives Bowering a lot of credit for. Malawsky says Bowering has bought into their defensive philosophy: defence first, run second.
“I think his defensive play has drastically improved,” Malawsky said. “He's really bought into that, and I think he's a very strong, athletic guy who plays honest defence. He doesn't have a detriment in his loose ball pursuit and getting up the floor. He didn't have to change too much, but it was maybe a little bit of an adjustment the first year or so. He's cherished that role, and he plays big minutes for us.”
The honest defence is a style built on trust, holding your position, making the right read, and winning your one-on-one matchup so the rest of the group can play confidently behind you.
That trust has been a key factor in his growth. With improved communication and familiarity alongside the same defensive unit, he’s a player his teammates can lean on to finish possessions.
“He's really settled into the fact that he understands what he needs to do depending on where he is on the floor, and he's got good familiarity and continuity with his teammates,” Malawsky said.
“He competes so hard out there, and I think a lot of times he makes it easy on the defensive guys because it's a one-and-done and there's a lot of trust in him getting the loose ball when it goes to the wall, and then pushing it in transition.”
Bowering has become more physical on defence. He's got the anticipation and lacrosse IQ, and Bowering added a heavier edge to his game under the guidance of the coaching staff.
“Defence is physical in general, but I think it's just they've hammered that into our heads,” Bowering said. “Now it's a little bit more instinctual for me, where maybe I wasn't as physical as a defender. I’m more physical, more on the cross check, versus maybe some one-handed plays. We’ve had the same system from three years ago now, so I understand it more instinctually and naturally than having to think about it as much.”
That added bite has made him harder to play against in the defensive zone and more effective in killing plays before they develop. Combined with his natural ability to read the floor, it has turned him into a true two-way defender.
The growth was steady, and Bowering credits the repetition – real game reps, playoff experience, and time within the same structure – for allowing the game to slow down.
“You could watch film all day, you could think about it all day, but until you've done it hundreds of times and in a real game – not only in practice – you build that trust up from the real thing with your teammates. I feel more comfortable now, for sure,” Bowering said.
His rookie season hinted at the potential, and he’s worked hard to become the player he is now. Like his teammates, he’s focused on taking one possession at a time.
The next shift, the next stop, the next win.
For the Warriors, that evolution mirrors their own. A team that resets its identity year after year is building continuity, and Bowering is an example of internal growth.
The loose balls still come, and the transition chances appear for a defender whose most valuable plays start in his own end.