One of the core missions of the Wings organization is to grow the game of lacrosse, and this summer the Wings are specifically making efforts to grow the game of box lacrosse in their creation of the Greater Philadelphia College Box Lacrosse League (GPCBLL). Designed to help American college field lacrosse players develop their box lacrosse skills, GPCBLL teams all are coached by current or former NLL Players. GPCBLL coaches Anthony Joaquim, Blaze Riorden, Brett Manney, and Curtis Smith are all invested in the future of lacrosse in the Philly area, they all coach local youth programs. Now, they are all hoping to bolster the already strong field lacrosse roots in the Philly area by building the box lacrosse game.
There are three GPCBLL teams for the 2024 season, the FDR Park Rangers, the Schuylkill Rivermonsters, and the Spring Garden Stealth. All named after iconic Philadelphia landmarks, the three teams are competing in a regular season throughout the summer, with a champion to be crowned at the end of July. Then, an all-star team from the season will be selected to compete in the National Colegiate Box Series (NCBS) National Championship in August. Since 2019, the NCBS has been working to develop the NLL stars of tomorrow, and have had 27 former NCBS players drafted into the NLL since their inception.
Wings Captain and Schuylkill Rivermonsters head coach Blaze Riorden in particular is impressed by the progress of the league so far: “The GPCBLL has been off to a massive start. The talent and commitment shown by the players thus far has been excellent. Being from the US I see why box lacrosse has boomed across the country and I’m excited to be a part of the change.”
The GPCBLL season has been off to a great start through its first three weeks. The FDR Park Rangers sit at the top of the standings with a record of 2-1, the Schuylkill Rivermonsters are 1-1, and the Spring Garden Stealth currently sit at 1-2. Colin Zyck has been a standout for the FDR Park Rangers, the league’s highest scoring team. Zyck has 7 goals and 6 assists through 3 games to lead the league in scoring. Jackson Smith has 5 goals and 3 assists total, and had a 6 point outing in the Rivermonster’s win against the Stealth. Smith leads the Rivermonsters in scoring. Billy Irish leads the Stealth in scoring with 5 goals and 2 assists.
Rivermonster’s leading scorer Jackson Smith elaborated on his experience in the GPCBLL so far:
“Playing in the GPCBLL has provided me the opportunity to play against top competition in the area and learn from some of the best in the game. I’m always looking to improve my skill set and compete at high levels. I am excited to implement the skills I am learning from the GPCBLL into my game when I return to WVU in the fall.”
GPCBLL games are all free to watch in person at Steelyard Sports in King of Prussia or stream live on the Veo Live app. Full games are also available to watch on YouTube. Follow the GPCBLL on instagram to stay updated on stats, standings, and the schedule for the rest of the season.
