By Kate Bartlett
The Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival returns for its 6th year September 22-24th organized by the leg-endary Powell Lacrosse Company in collaboration with the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce. Founded by Mike Riorden and Ryan Powell, the weekend is a celebration of the sport, for the love of the game, not competition. Saturday night will feature a party with live music from Rex Lyons and the Fabulous Ripcords at The Depot.
Mike and Ryan wanted to offer both youth and adult players a low-pressure fun tournament that really celebrates the roots of the game. “We wanted a way to celebrate the game as it was meant to be played,” says Mike. “We wanted the focus off of competition; for the teams to come out and play the game for the love of the game.”
They chose Ellicottville after playing tournaments in Lake Placid and Vail, which are both ski towns and have hosted incredible Lacrosse tournaments for over 30 years. “Ellicottville fits the bill perfectly; the community has embraced the event and we’re incredibly proud of how it’s evolved through the years. We’re so thankful for the support from Brian McFadden and the rest of the EVL Chamber of Commerce. They play such an integral role with this festival. John Karassik, a long-time lover of lacrosse, is a huge supporter and photographs the games throughout the weekend. We love hosting here and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The sport of lacrosse has native American roots dating back over 200 years. Being so close to Salamanca, the Ellicottville festival aims to celebrate the heritage of the sport. “We definitely feel connected as if we’re playing on sacred ground here in Ellicottville. The Native American Master’s Team Ohi:Yo come out to play and there is a special vibe about the area. The heritage of the sport is not lost on us.”
This year, Ryan collaborated with Summit Lacrosse Ventures, who organize tournaments in Sa-ratoga and Lake Placid, in order to grow the Ellicottville Festival. There are approximately 40 teams registered traveling from various region and locally, teams including the masters team Ohi:Yo. Games will be played Saturday and Sunday at Ellicottville Village Park and the Chamber Fields at Holiday Valley. Games consist of two 22-minute running halves with a 5-minute halftime with 2 US Lacrosse Certified Officials managing each game. Various ages will play ranging from youth to Grand Masters (45+).
Mike’s favorite thing about Lacrosse is the community the sport creates. “I’ve been playing with team Tarzan for over 30 years. The guys on this team are incredible; they’re like family and we never would’ve met if it weren’t for the team. It brought together just a diverse group of people with the common bond of lacrosse. The social aspect and the brotherhood is just as strong as our love for the sport itself.”
For more information visit https://upstatelacrosse.com/tournaments/ellicottville-lacrosse-festival/ and https://www.powelllacrosse.com/ or email info@upstatelacrosse.com. Follow on Face-book @ Ellicottville Fall Lacrosse Festival for event updates and future announcements.