DENVER – Spring is in the air.
And if you’re a fan of the Colorado Mammoth, or lacrosse in general, you know that means it’s time to get the sticks warmed up and fandom dialed in as the boys continue the “March To May” in attempting to qualify for the National Lacrosse League (NLL) postseason once again.
After picking up a key 13-7 win over the Rochester Knighthawks during the team’s Colorado Lacrosse Night, as the LOUD HOUSE welcomed a season-high 11,113 fans to Ball Arena last weekend, Colorado’s playoff hopes remain alive, now 5-9 on the season.
RELATED: Mammoth Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with Clutch 13-7 Win over Knighthawks
A magical time throughout the great lacrosse-forward state of Colorado, the sun is shining regularly, snowstorms are coming to an end and fields across the greater Denver area are once again full of youth lacrosse athletes, bettering themselves and teammates alike ahead of the approaching season.
Perfectly timed as the state’s athletes ramp-up activity, the organization hosted its annual Colorado Mammoth Spring Break Camp (March 18-20) as Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward and teammates Noah Lebar, Warren Jeffrey, Tyson Gibson and friends led the charge during the three-day camp.
With dozens of local lacrosse enthusiasts ages 7-14 donning their helmets and pads within Lakewood’s Foothills Fieldhouse, the very arena where the team practices ahead of game days, campers enjoyed enticing drills, hands-on training and endless scrimmages and gameplay while learning from the players they hope to be one day!
And of course, a good ole’ fashioned autograph and photo-capturing session!
As the organization’s Lacrosse Development Manager for the past two seasons, Ward spends a good portion of his week engaging with Colorado’s ever-growing youth lacrosse community. Often found growing the game within local schools and very involved at competitive club and high school environments, the all-world talent isn’t limiting his time to the pros by any means.
Transitioning from his camp squad to the burgundy boys themselves, Ward and company invited campers and their teammates, coaches, parents and other sport supporters to watch the pros first-hand last Saturday, as the team celebrated Colorado Lacrosse Night Saturday inside Ball Arena.
Putting on quite the show as Colorado began its final three-game homestand of the 2023-24 season, Ward limited the Knighthawks to just seven goals on the night, including just two in the second half as the Mammoth picked up a huge win. After opening up some additional upper-level sections, as the demand to see the boys in-person is through the roof ahead of Colorado’s ever-popular spring season of ball, the LOUD HOUSE was packed Saturday night.
Honoring the game we all love throughout the evening, the team denoted a land acknowledgement followed by a lively performance from the Mile High Singer and Dancers group at halftime, a group comprised of local indigenous community members and their families. Honoring the game, and its past, by engaging in a beautiful set of songs and dances, fans got a deeper glimpse into our sport while watching on as the group members paid tribute to their own ancestral bloodlines.
Dedicated to connecting with the community throughout the season, several Mammoth players took some time earlier this month to read to local students during “Reading Across America Week,” which kicks off Reading Month each year!
Visiting with and reading to hundreds of students at Oberon Middle School to kick the week off, Jordan Gilles, Warren Jeffrey and Tyson Gibson spent the afternoon engaging with middle school kids; growing the game, reading some books and answering questions. It’s not every day that professional athletes swing by, after all!
Stopping by Green Gables Elementary School later in the week, the same trio of Mammoth players read to students in anywhere from preschool to the fifth grade, stopping to take some photos, sign a few autographs and of course, encourage the kids to explore the sport of lacrosse!
With the team enduring its final bye week of the season, the boys will next prepare to host the Buffalo Bandits on April 5 during Grateful Dead Night inside the LOUD HOUSE as the team looks to keep its playoff hopes alive during another dramatic NLL Finals rematch! Be sure to secure your tickets and get ready to TUSK UP!
