The Airdrie Knights lacrosse team will be known again as, well, the Airdrie Knights.
The Senior B team, which is a part of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (RMLL), last called Airdrie’s Plainsmen Arena home during the 2008 season. During that final year, four games, including one in the playoffs, were cancelled due to moisture weeping through the floor
“At that point the league stepped in telling us we needed to find a new place to finish the season,” said Gareth Barley, former Knights player and current second-year head coach. “We finished up the season in Crossfield. We started the 2009 season playing out of SAIT after signing a three-year agreement to play on the campus.”
The Knights played two pre-season exhibition games at Airdrie’s Genesis Place before the 2011 campaign, after which the SAIT agreement ended, where more than 100 fans showed up for both games.
“We were caught off-guard by the reaction,” Barley said. “We as a team knew we need to make a move back to Airdrie and we are really looking forward to it. We thought it would be a great opportunity to come back out here.”
The Knights will host exhibition games at the Crossfield Arena on April 18 and 25. The team will trim its roster down to 25 players after the second game, before beginning the regular season on May 5 in Spruce Grove.
Its first home game will be on May 11, in Crossfield, before officially making the return to the Plainsmen Arena on June 6.
Assisting Barley behind the bench will be Ryan Snell, in his second year, and Dave Wandler, in his first season as an assistant coach. Former coach Keith Berg is also back to help manage after a one-year break.
Seven players remain from the 2008 season in Airdrie: Derek Tom, Adam Labarbera, Rob McGowean, Rob Miller, Ron Morash, Geoff Rainsford and Greg Bradley.
Other players with Airdrie and area connections are Dean Casey, whose family lives in the city; Cam Foss, who lives in Bearspaw; CJ Johnson, who lives in Cochrane; and Jordon Sealock, a protected player and current National Lacrosse League defenceman for the Philadelphia Wings, whose family lives in Airdrie.
The Knights’ 2012 draft picks were Tanner Newitt, Derek Wilson, Steve Schorn, Sam Bacon and Brandon Tackaberry. Its regular season record since leaving Airdrie is 27W-27L, but the team has made it to the league finals in two of those three seasons.
Barley said he is confident the Knights will become a success in Airdrie this time around.
“I think there is a want for a summer team – there are no other real major sports in Airdrie,” he said. “You’ve got the Thunder and the Xtreme, who are the two highest quality sports teams to watch. But it’s untapped (market) again, as we haven’t been here in three years, so we’ll have to see.”
