31 GULIO DEL BIANCO

Born:  June 9, 1994            Height:  5’10”            Weight:  190            Goaltender, Lefty

Giulio joined the Senior A Adanacs after a Junior A career with the Langley Thunder in 2012, the Coquitlam Adanacs in 2013 and the PoCo Saints in 2014 and 2015, as well as with the 2015 Western Finalist Okotoks Raiders. In 38 BCJALL games he saved 80% of the shots he faced.  Born and raised in Coquitlam, he first played lacrosse in the outdoor boxes in Coquitlam, and says he was inspired to play lacrosse by “Goalies such as Dallas Eliuk, Anthony Cosmo and Matt Vinc. The aspect of being a big contributor or difference maker in a game.”  [I still wear an Adanacs golf shirt with the logo designed by Dallas Eliuk for the 2001 Mann Cup championship season, for which Dallas was of course “a big contributor and difference maker.]  Giulio’s minor lacrosse career was with the Coquitlam Adanacs from mini-tyke through Midget and featured many provincial and national medals and championships.  He is a Full-time Automotive Collision Technician.  As a youngster, Giulio also was a defenseman in hockey.  He enjoys working on and restoring old cars, camping, and listening to everything from rock, country or rap.  Asked to name people who have been key influences in his lacrosse career, Giulio said, “I’ve had many coaches and teammates that have helped me along the way.  My family’s support is never-ending and I'm grateful to them all.  My girlfriend Melissa.  She really supported and pushed me in coming back to lacrosse.”  Our thanks to them all!

It would be remiss if we didn’t allude to the past rivalry between Giulio and his brother Christian, so we’ll quote from a Calgary newspaper before the 2015 Western Finals leading up to the Minto Cup:  “Brotherly love will be put on hold with a spot in the Minto Cup on the line.  For up to five days next week, Okotoks Jr. A Raiders netminder Giulio Del Bianco will be battling younger brother Christian at the other end of the floor for the Coquitlam Adanacs when the two provincial champions do battle in the Western final.  ‘He’s been avoiding it for a while,’ said Giulio with a smile. ‘We never really played against each other in past years, he’s always sat out those games. There is no hiding now and I think we really have a team that can compete against them.’ Acquired on the trade deadline from the British Columbia Jr. A Lacrosse League’s (BCJLL) Port Coquitlam Saints, Giulio Del Bianco started every game of Okotoks’ six-game championship series victory over an excellent Calgary Mountaineers squad.  The Raiders will likely need to take their game up a notch or two to compete with one of the perennial contenders for the nation’s ultimate honour in Junior A lacrosse… In goal, Christian Del Bianco, three years younger than Giulio, is widely considered one of the top in his position.  ‘He’s pretty good. He changes game-to-game, but there are definitely a couple things I will be telling the team to kind of help us out,’ Giulio added. ‘Everybody should be out here. My parents will be sitting in the middle and not taking sides.  Coming out here it was a bit of a change-up so hopefully it throws them off too,’ said Giulio of the home floor advantage.’  he familiarity between the clubs extends to the bench. Okotoks head coach Andrew McBride won a Presidents’ Cup with the Sr. Adanacs in 2004 while assistant Dane Dobbie is both a former player and coach with the Adanacs.’