Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival Returns for the 6th Year
Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival Returns for the 6th Year
Forty Teams Expected to Compete on September 23rd & 24th
Photos / Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce
The oldest organized sport in North America, lacrosse has been played for nearly 1,000 years, and on September 23rd-24th, lacrosse is returning to the village of Ellicottville. The sixth annual Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival, hosted by Mike Riorden, Ryan Powell of Powell Lacrosse, Summit Lacrosse Ventures, and the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce will bring together players and teams from across the Northeast for two jam-packed days of fun, friendly competition. Whether you’ve had experience on the field or simply enjoy watching the game, the Ellicottville Lacrosse Festival is not to be missed.
President and owner of Powell Lacrosse Ryan Powell is eager to return to Ellicottville to host the weekend-long tournament, which is open to youth and adults. Powell is originally from Carthage, New York (near Watertown) and spent 10 years living in Oregon, where he played lacrosse professionally. Now, he’s proud to call Syracuse “home” and has hosted many different tournaments throughout the region.
“After a youth tournament in Rochester, Mike Riordan and I sat down for a beer, and he said he wanted to do a tournament with me,” Powell recalled. “Mike rides through Ellicottville on his bike all the time, and said it’d be a great place. As soon as I went there, I was sold on the location right away! The Chamber of Commerce has been great to work with!”
Now, six years later, the tournament is still an annual event that occupies the third weekend in September, and Powell is looking forward to welcoming teams to the Ellicottville Village Park and the Chamber Fields at Holiday Valley. “We’re expecting 40 teams this year,” Powell explained. “People travel from all over - Toronto, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and all over New York, including Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.”
Interested in participating? Register a team in any of the following divisions: Boys Youth Grades 5/6, Boys Youth Grades 7/8, High School JV Grades 9/10, High School Varsity Grades 9-12, Men’s Open 21+, and Men’s Grand Masters 45+. To register online, visit www.ellicottvilleny.com or call 720-609-2234. Team registrations will be capped at 12 teams per division and filled on a first come, first served basis. This year’s kick-off party will take place at 7:00pm on Saturday, September 23rd at the Ellicottville Depot Restaurant. Powell said, “We’re excited that Rex Lyons and The Ripcords will be performing that night.”
While the Men’s Open Division and the Men’s Grand Masters divisions will be competing on both Saturday and Sunday, Powell noted that all four youth divisions will compete on Sunday only. The games will be a 10 versus 10 format with two 22-minute halves, including a five-minute halftime. Two U.S. Lacrosse Certified Officials will be managing each game. The festival will take place rain or shine, as long as there is no thunder or lightning.
“I’m excited for a great weekend for lacrosse and to have the community come out and support the teams, especially the kids,” said Powell. For the latest updates, follow Ellicottville Fall Lacrosse Festival on Facebook or visit www.powelllacrosse.com.