More than a game: New pro lacrosse team finds home, and heart, in Charlotte
Jack Posey waited 14 hours before his flight out of Charlotte was canceled.
Not one to waste time, Posey, the 24-year-old Carolina Chaos defenseman from northern Virginia, reached out to someone he knew through his Penn State connections to kill some time.
That person would be Beckett Vance, a senior at Charlotte Christian who had committed to play lacrosse at Penn State, Posey’s alma mater. The two met up and ran through some reps at the Knights’ facilities. Vance wasn’t necessarily beating Posey — but the pro lacrosse player felt he was given a great test.
He was able to catch his flight the next day, but Posey is back in Charlotte again now, ready to start play in the Premier Lacrosse League.
The league returns to American Legion Memorial Stadium for four professional men’s lacrosse games this weekend. Posey and the Chaos will grace their home field before “The Red Legion” once again Friday and Saturday evening near uptown.
He’s excited about the possibilities in Charlotte.
“It’s really inspiring to me to see how talented some of those kids are, playing against one of them and actually seeing, feeling what some of Charlotte and North Carolina’s best had to offer,” Posey said. “With a team coming into a city for the first time, we obviously want to reach out to as many people and households as possible and become a staple in the community. But I think the most important thing is truly establishing serious relationships and making an impact on the individual level.
“Not only were we able to help these kids and give them some pointers on their game. But hopefully after that, they’re Chaos fans for life. And their support — and any support they give — is so appreciated.”
A growing presence in the Charlotte area
Roughly three weeks ago, Posey was practicing at the Cannon School in Concord.
In search of field space for training before this PLL season, Posey got in touch with Steve Schattner, longtime boys’ lacrosse coach at the school. Most hotels around south Charlotte were booked up with the PGA Championship in town, and Posey was looking to train with some of his Chaos teammates.
One of the Cougars’ high school players watched Posey that day, and several of Cannon’s best players came the next day and trained alongside the pros. It was a particularly meaningful experience for Posey, a lifelong lacrosse player with numerous friends and former teammates from his South Riding, Virginia, hometown who have relocated to the Queen City.
While Posey trained most of the year in Dallas, Texas — Charlotte is where he wants to be. His one request all week in North Carolina last year was for a massive plate of pulled pork. Posey loves to cook, and the Carolina barbecue staple has always been among his favorite meats to smoke.
“I will definitely be finding myself, probably postgame — not pregame, but postgame — I’ll find myself eating a big platter of barbecue,” Posey said. “That is one nice thing about Texas, but they’ve got a lot of beef down there. Beef brisket, great, but pork? Pork barbecue hits home for me.”
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‘What a time to be a lacrosse fan in Charlotte’
Roy Colsey, a professional lacrosse Hall of Famer, took over as the Chaos’ head coach in January alongside general manager Spencer Ford.
The organization is ecstatic for its homecoming weekend at American Legion Memorial Stadium. It’s an opportunity to connect with the city’s passionate fans, as well as growing the game of lacrosse, building on the Charlotte Hounds’ popularity and success.
“They have already had a great history of supporting professional lacrosse,” Colsey said. “The Carolina Chaos might be new to the market, but they’ve demonstrated an excitement and a passion for the game of lacrosse at the highest level. ... Knowing that we’ve got a fan base that’s both excited and educated about the game of lacrosse makes it that much more exciting.
“It’s a really unique time to be a lacrosse fan in general, and what a time to be a lacrosse fan in Charlotte. It’s going to be a really exciting weekend, and we’re looking forward to not only growing the game, but growing our fan base and ultimately building something really special with the Charlotte fans and the youth players.”
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PLL games this weekend in Charlotte
All contests are played at American Legion Memorial Stadium, 1218-1238 Armory Dr, Charlotte, NC 28204.
Tickets are available through the league’s website.
Friday
6 p.m.: Denver Outlaws vs. Carolina Chaos (ESPN+)
8:30 p.m.: Philadelphia Waterdogs vs. Maryland Whipsnakes (ESPN+)
Saturday
1 p.m.: Utah Archers vs. Boston Cannons (ABC/ESPN+)
7 p.m.: California Redwoods vs. Carolina Chaos (ESPN+)
