The CSU Men’s Lacrosse Team celebrates after winning the RMLC Tournament last spring.

Article by Elean Gersack with photos provided by the Byrne family

Oh, where does the time go? A few years back, several neighborhood teens competed against one another in high school lacrosse at Rock Canyon, Mountain Vista and Valor high schools. On Saturday, March 5, they will be back in town – this time as college lacrosse teammates via a Colorado State University (CSU) bus as they make a pit stop in Castle Pines for a family hosted dinner.

The CSU Rams Men’s Club Lacrosse team will play Colorado College (CC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, in Colorado Springs. After the game, the bus will arrive at the HOA2 clubhouse, located at 7306 Oxford Drive, at about 4:30 p.m.

Neighborhood residents and children are invited to come and “meet” the team during the dinner from 5:00 p.m until about 6:30 p.m. Stop by just to say hello, to take a photo, or to have an autograph signed. With many young lacrosse players in the community, and with the sport becoming extremely popular, the evening is sure to prove both fun and inspiring.

CSU players from the Castle Pines community include Sean Byrne (senior/goalie); Austin Fisher (sophomore/attack); Casey Carter (sophomore/attack); and Tyler Zabor (sophomore/defense).

As a long-standing tradition after the CSU vs. CC match-up, families host a meal for the players on the way back to Fort Collins. “There are so many local kids who were high school competitors who are now college teammates. It’s like a fraternity,” said Sarah Byrne, mother of Sean.

For the second year, this gathering will be held at the HOA2 Clubhouse and hosted by the Byrne, Fisher, Carter and Zabor families. More than 150 people are expected for the celebration dinner. More than 100 pounds of pork, along with beans, cole slaw and other barbeque items, will be on hand to feed the players, coaches and families.

At first blush, club lacrosse sounds more recreational than competitive. Not so. This “Virtual Varsity” league is extremely high caliber. The Rams compete in Division I of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC) and have won championships in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2010. The RMLC is one of the most competitive conferences in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) in the country. On top of that, the Rams head coach, Alex Smith, is a former CSU player who went on to play Major League Lacrosse for the Colorado Outlaws.

Even with the highly-competitive nature of the team, Byrne’s father, Bernie, notes that the men are all about family. “During games, the break chant is 1,2,3 … family. It’s the best example of a team I’ve seen at almost any level,” said Bernie Byrne.

For information about the CSU men’s lacrosse team, including schedules for the remainder of the season, visit http://csulacrosse.com.