From an early age, Minnesota Swarm rookie forward Corbyn Tao felt a strong connection to the sport of lacrosse. Tao, who is a member of the Nishga Tribe (located on the Nass River in northwestern British Colombia), played several sports growing up, but none could compare to the rush he felt playing lacrosse.
“I started playing when I was around four years old after my dad introduced me to the sport,” Tao said. “… It’s definitely a passionate sport that makes me feel culturally in tune with my background.”
Tao’s journey to the pros is a tale of both risk and reward. Before he entered his sophomore year of high school, Tao moved away from his family and friends in the Lower Mainland to attend a boarding school in Hudson, Ohio in hopes of being able to obtain a college degree and advance his lacrosse career.
“It was a pretty big decision, but I was excited about it at the same time,” he said. “I was a little nervous, and I didn’t know what to expect, but I was open for a new experience and I learned to become independent. The chance to pursue a secondary education was a big factor.”
His decision to move east paid dividends. After high school, Tao attended Robert Morris University, where he graduated with a degree in Business Management and was a star attackman for the school’s Division I lacrosse team from 2008-11. In 2010, Tao led the NCAA in shooting percentage (53.2%) and recorded 41 goals, which at the time was a school record.
Tao also spent three summers playing box lacrosse in Six Nations and won a Minto Cup with the Arrows in 2007. That year, he was teammates with future National Lacrosse League (NLL) stars and fellow Natives Sid Smith, Cody Jamieson and Craig Point. “It was a great experience,” Tao said. “I really had a blast, and it was definitely a learning curve at the same time playing with those talented players.”

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