LYNDEN -- Five years ago, Treven Salminen was an ambitious sixth-grader who had quickly fallen in love with lacrosse and couldn't wait to become old enough to become part of a team.
Now, as a 17-year-old Lynden High junior with the North County Cavaliers, he finds himself an important part of a team he never imagined -- the U19 Finnish National Team. He earned a spot last summer in tryouts for world championship competition next July.
If any of his teachers want a "how I spent my summer" essay, Salminen figures he'll have more than few cool memories, just as he did at age 10 when he played baseball in the Cal Ripken League World Series.
Since he officially joined a lacrosse team in seventh grade -- there now are squads for younger players -- and has since played both hockey and lacrosse in far-flung leagues pretty much year-round, he found he wouldn't have time for school sports like baseball.
That's okay with the affable Salminen, however. He's still one of the best two-sport athletes in Whatcom County -- he's a skilled defenseman with the Whatcom Warriors hockey team -- and hopes to earn a college scholarship in either sport.
"Whichever opens the most doors," he said.
His world championships experience in Finland, where college scouts will abound, figures to give him a huge jump start in lacrosse, especially since he has two more years of U19 eligibility.
"Treven has a ton of heart and determination. He's one of our youngest players, with lots of potential," said Finnish U19 coach Risto Worthington by phone from his home in Columbia, Md. "He listens to everything and is very coachable. He would always try to make changes immediately when he got feedback during the tryouts. He's a midfielder and he'll see a lot of time (on the 23-man team)."
Salminen, the first Whatcom County athlete to earn a place on an overseas nation's national lacrosse team, also has no trouble keeping everything in perspective after making the Finnish national squad following tryouts in Turku, Finland, last July.
"It would have been a lot harder earning a place on the United States national team," he said, talking about the squad Worthington considers a solid favorite in the tournament, which has attracted a dozen national teams plus one from the Iroquois Nation, as befitting the origins of lacrosse as a Native American sport.
The U.S. team is loaded with current and future Division I college scholarship players, mostly from East Coast schools where lacrosse is a major sport.
"Hockey is so huge in Finland that most all the top athletes play hockey," Salminen said. "I'm probably the only national team player who also plays hockey. When I think about it, it's pretty amazing that I have this opportunity to play on the Finnish national lacrosse team. It's still hard to believe."
The Finnish team finished last in 2008 but Worthington feels the team can earn a spot at least in the top eight in 2012.
North County Cavaliers coach Peter White isn't surprised by Salminen's success.
"With Treven, I think it's his drive. He's so hungry to be good. He isn't always the biggest, strongest or fastest, but his work ethic is what makes him so good. Hockey helps him, too. He just goes into this third, fourth, fifth gear that comes out of nowhere. He's so quick and he makes great decisions."
Salminen, the son of Iiro and Kaaren Salminen, is the youngest of three sports-loving children.
His sister, former Lynden three-sport athlete Kirstin Salminen, recently earned All-Big Sky Conference and Goalkeeeper of the Year soccer honors as a senior at Northern Colorado University, and also earned second-team All-Region 7 Academic honors.
Older brother Derek Salminen, 24, played in three national club hockey championships as a four-year defenseman for Eastern Washington University.
"Derek played only one year of lacrosse, when he was a senior at Lynden when the North County team was new, and that's when I got interested in lacrosse," Treven said. There was only one problem: It would be two years before he would be old enough to play on a team.
"I hung around and worked out with the older players for two years," said Treven, who figures to fill out his lanky 6-foot, 150-pound frame considerably by the time he reaches college. He wears size 12 shoes and has hands the size of a big league catcher.
Iiro came to Bellingham from Finland at age 8 and played club hockey while attending Sehome. He said he "had never heard of lacrosse" until his sons began to talk him into watching practices and games. Now the elder Salminen is a genuine fan and is grateful that White's Cavaliers are solidly established as one of two Whatcom County lacrosse clubs that play with the state high school association.
How good is Treven? Good enough to earn State Player of the Week honors for Division II in competition last May with the many standouts from King County, where high school lacrosse has become big.
He was, in fact, the first North County player to be so honored. Of his team's 24 goals in two matches, Treven scored nine and assisted on two -- huge production in the 11-man sport -- and was lauded for grabbing 17 ground balls.
"I've been playing hockey since I was 4 years old," said Treven. "My stick skills in hockey translate well to lacrosse. Plus, I like the fact that both are contact sports. Lacrosse is just huge fun."
Fortunately, Treven, who has both U.S. and Finnish citizenship, didn't have to worry much about translations at the tryouts in Turko.
"Most of the players speak English, so that wasn't a problem," said Treven, one of four North American natives to make the national team. "They're a great bunch of guys."
Worthington felt fortunate to have this stranger from Washington state show up.
"I don't speak the language, either," said Worthington, who noted how Treven and his positive personality quickly fit right in. "Our guys showed Treven a good time."
Treven also received some most welcome financial help.
"My uncle told me about the national team tryouts and my grandfather, Reijo, helped me with his frequent-flier miles," he said. "I stayed part of the time in Turku with (Reijo) and part of the time with one of the family of one of the players."
Fortunately for the Salminen family's finances, Worthington said the North American players won't be required to return to Finland until a week before the championships in July.
"We'll all work out together for five days or so before the tournament starts," the coach said. "I expect all the players to be in shape, so we can focus on tactics and skills."
Treven, never forgetting his days of dreaming more than playing, enjoys working with elementary school players.
"Last season, one coach couldn't participate any longer," White said. "So when Treven found out, he and some of his teammates would help out with that team at the youth practices. He's just a great kid."
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