Four-hundred fifty-two miles, eight hours, two season tickets and one incredible shot. Don’s road to the National Lacrosse League is one like no other.
After deciding to boycott the NFL due to drama with the players, Don randomly found the NLL TV app on his Amazon Fire Stick. The Georgia Swarm and the Saskatchewan Rush were battling it out on the floor, and Don decided to take a chance and watch a quarter of the game.
He was instantly hooked.
“It was just so exciting,” said Don. “I loved the fast pace of the game, especially the 30-second shot clock. It was high scoring and didn’t drag on, the guys are so physical and don’t hold anything back, and the players seem truly grateful for the fans.”
From that first Swarm-Rush game, Don continued to watch games week after week. He planned to make the trek to Colorado to see a live game, as the Mammoth was the closest team to his Southern California home. And then the Seals were announced.
Don found the Seals and almost immediately put down his season ticket deposit to be an inaugural member. Living almost four hours from the Valley View Casino Center, Don jokes, “four hours is far, but it’s a lot closer than Colorado.” True.
The Seals hosted their first Select-a-Seat event for members to come to the arena and pick out their seats for the season. Fans also had the chance to meet legends of the game, play SPEED lacrosse and score a goal to win season tickets. Don and his daughter, Melina, made their way to see it all for the first time.
“We picked our seats and were finishing up the paperwork,” said Don. “They asked if we wanted to try and win our season tickets and I looked at my daughter and asked her to do it. My daughter said, ‘Dad they are your seats, you go do it’.”
Don went over and picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time in his life. It was John Grant Jr.’s stick, and after a quick shooting lesson from one of the all-time greats, Don took his shot. Shoot, bury bottom-left corner and WIN!
“I was like ‘what just happened?’. I was just shocked and so happy.”
After winning his seat, Don is excited to actually see a game in person and to “just catch all the excitement from the team and the sport.” The father of four can’t wait to bring each one of his kids to a Seals game to see what he’s been so excited about.
“I’m looking forward to watching the playoffs, but I can’t wait until it is our turn to be there,” said Don.