Saskatoon, and in fact many across the entire province of Saskatchewan, are developing a love affair with box lacrosse.
Or, at least a love affair with the Saskatchewan Rush.
While I count myself a fan of the game, and the National Lacrosse League, for a number of years, to the point I’d just as soon watch box lacrosse as any pro sport, I can’t say I was convinced the Rush would find immediate support upon their move from Edmonton.
Lacrosse has never been a huge participatory sport in Saskatchewan, although there is an active provincial association. Yorkton is sort of a model of the reality of the sport in the province. The Junior Bulldogs was a highly entertaining team when it launched a number of years ago. With Junior Terrier hockey players Jason Beatty and Justin Keller bringing some fans with them, the team found fans, and some success.
But, the support just didn’t quite hold.
With the Rush, I hoped the sport could find fans, but expected that would take some time, and by time I thought a few seasons.
The home opener had just over 9,000 fans, myself included, and I hoped that such a number would hold. That’s the thing about something new, people show up to take a look, but the question is, were they entertained enough to become regular fans?
Well Saturday the Rush hosted Calgary and the game was a sell-out, just shy of 15,000 fans.
It has been a steady increase along the way, and while in Saskatoon Saturday you could feel the interest, from the waitress at Montana’s saying how she wished she was going, to meeting others in the city wearing Rush jerseys, to the gas station clerk wishing us a fun time at the game.
People know about the Rush and they’re excited about it.
Of course it helps the Rush are defending NLL champs, and they are playing like it. The win Saturday over Calgary, 11-9, kept the Rush in a first place tie with Colorado, both having 10-4 records. The win also assures the Rush at least one home playoff game, and I’d bet on that being a sell-out.
The Rush have four games left in the regular season, only one at home April 16 in the second of a back-to-back set with the aforementioned Mammoth, so first place and home advantage through to the finals remain a very real possibility, and you can expect the fan support to be there throughout.
As for the game against Calgary, the Rush stumbled in the second half offensively, but held on to win.
Thankfully the Saskatchewan defence, and in particular goaltender Aaron Bold held off the Roughneck comeback.
Of course Rush fans expect the man the arena announcer calls ‘Stone Cold’ to come up with big saves.
Bold, was born in Victoria, and turns 31 later this month. He was drafted in the third round (29th overall) in the 2005 National Lacrosse League entry draft by the long defunct Portland Lumberjax.
I had the opportunity to talk to Bold recently, and asked him about whether there was added pressure on the team in selling the sport to a new city.
“There might be a little bit of pressure,” he said, but added that is something he feeds on. “Myself I’m very competitive and always just let it drive me to be better.”
That said Bold shares any acclaim he gets with the defence.
“It’s hats off to the defence,” said Bold.
Of course as a goaltender Bold’s job is huge as the last line of defence. However, it is also a sport where even the elite give up a fair number of goals.
Bold said it comes down to mind set, being able to let being scored on go, and focus on the next play. To help with that the Rush netminder works with a sports psychologist. That training is part of how he prepares for games. His team bio notes that pre game Bold does not like to nap, but rather he likes to take a walk so he can do his visualization/ focus drills. In a game you can see the netminder going through moves after shots that elude him, clearly visualizing what he should have done to perhaps make the save.
“You have to focus on winning the small battles,” he said. “… It’s definitely a mental toughness you have to be a goaltender … It’s very mentally driven … Goaltending; it’s all mental in the NLL.”
“When you have a bad game you can’t dwell on it. You are going to have horrible games.”
It helps too that the Rush as a team are generally a veteran crew so that when adversity does set in, they can battle through.
“We’re men. We’ve been through situations before,” said Bold.
That is certainly the case for Bold himself who is into his 11th season, and he earned his time the hard way. He was one of four goaltenders with Portland as a rookie. He would dress as a back-up a couple of times that season “but I never touched the floor.”
So in Saskatoon the experience is quite different. Bold is the main man in net, and the fans have fallen for the Rush.
“It’s been a great experience. It’s fun to have some of the largest crowds we’ve ever played in front of … It’s been amazing.”
And Bold sees more good things for the sport ahead, including growth, which of course fits with the NLL Commissioner’s vision for 16 teams over time.
Bold said the product on the floor is one which can sustain growth with solid ownership in good markets. He said that could very well include an NLL return to Edmonton, and an instant rival for the Rush.
But Bold also mentioned other Canadian locales such as Winnipeg, another natural rival for the Rush, Montreal and Halifax, the latter a city without a pro franchise much as Saskatoon pre-Rush.
But that is a big picture thing for the league. Bold said the key right now is winning games with the Rush.
“We’re in charge of our own destiny. We’re definitely in the driver’s seat.” he said.
