Halifax Thunderbirds fan base continues to grow as team enters sixth season

Three Maritimers earn a spot in the National Lacrosse League.

Year six for the Halifax Thunderbirds gets underway Dec. 5 and fans are excited.

There are some Nova Scotians however that are getting ready for the season in a different way.

Liam McGrath is one of two players from the province who will be on a National Lacrosse League regular season roster.

The defender for the Georgia Swarm appreciates opportunity.

“It’s an honour honestly, it’s something I really am excited about and really proud of. It’s something I’ve been working for, for a long time, this is a dream of mine since I was a little kid,” he said.

The other is Philadelphia Wings defender, Alex Pace. He says coming home to play at Scotiabank Centre is always a big deal, even if it is as a visiting player.

“For me it’s always special because I have lots of family and friends and I grew up going to Moosehead games there so to be able to walk on the floor and play is always a special feeling,” Pace said.

The sport has grown about 20 per cent year-over-year in Nova Scotia since the pandemic. Part of that growth has been the excitement of having a pro team in the region.

“I remember the first couple games, four, five, 6000 fans at the game and now it’s hard to even get a seat in the arena,” says Thunderbird, Max Wilson.

“We’ve seen huge amounts of growth. Last year in attendance, we set an attendance record game after game. I know we kept setting it and then breaking it,” adds forward, Clarke Petterson.

The team’s popularity can be attributed to the product on the floor and the player’s presence in the community.

Giving back is important to Petterson.

“We have our Thunderbirds Sticks for Kids program where we go into schools and we teach lacrosse for the first time for people who have maybe never seen it before,” the forward player said.

There is one player who has graduated from T-Bird fan to player.

“It’s a great honour and to get the opportunity to play with some of these guy,” said goaltender Ashton Brown who has made the team’s practice roster for the second time.

“As soon as the Thunderbirds came into Halifax, it really brought to my mind that there’s more to go with lacrosse than just playing around here and that there was an actual future opportunities in lacrosse,” he said.

Brown says it’s only a matter of time before more local young players also find success at a higher level.

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