Win or Lose, There’s Always Food

By RACHEL SALASKY
Staff Writer

Families congregate around food to celebrate; one could say the Saint Rose Lacrosse team is one big family. After each of their 16 games this season, they come together and eat with their parents and friends, a tailgate for all to join.
Four quarters are played and when all is said and done, 29 players and three coaches are very hungry. Every home or away game there is food for the players and spectators to eat. Each parent provides food, and every one there contributes to eating it all.
“When you lose, it’s sad at first, but once you see your family, everyone is together and you get over it,” said junior midfielder Connor Moore. “You walk in sad and you leave happy.” With an overall record of 3-8 thus far, the Golden Knights have had their fair share of sad starts to tailgates.
Practicing at least 10 hours a week, running extra sprints, and taking face-offs for hours each day preparing for games; parents are home scouring the family recipe book for that secret recipe. The players have come from all over the northeast region to play for the Golden Knights, meaning their parents cannot make it to every game. That doesn’t mean they don’t contribute.
There is always an abundance of relatives at every game, to support their sons as well as set up the tailgate after. “Seeing your parents after the game, because you don’t see them often, it helps you get over the loss,” said junior attack Tyler Mello.
When the Saint Rose Lacrosse team was founded in 2012, so were the tailgates. Post-game menus typically include franks and beans, Oreo dirt cake, chili, taco salad, pasta salad, and a line of crock-pots containing anything from meatballs to barbeque. Parents cover all the aspects of a quality tailgate.
Mello’s parents usually bring the Oreo dirt cake and silverware, two things he says are vital. Junior midfielder Joseph Buono’s father is known for his chili; he says it takes around two hours to prepare and a few family secrets. Every game he can attend, Mr. Buono can be found behind the crockpot holding five pounds of homemade, piping-hot chili, serving everyone that comes near.
Sophomore Liam Guiton’s mother Christine is in charge of organizing all of the food every game, home and away.
“This is a great team because everyone is helpful. They are phenomenal!” said Guiton. At the beginning of every week, she sends a mass email to the parents, and everyone responds with what they will be bringing. Families chip in everything from food to tables to trash bags. She never feels like she needs to ask for more; every parent takes the initiative to make sure there is enough food on the table for all to enjoy, many times too much for everyone to finish.
“The more people the better. If you are going to take the time to spectate, then come on and enjoy the food,” she said.
When the team is on the road, parents from the city or even state where the game is played make suggestions for those that can’t make it to order food from, or they ask a friend. Junior attack Conor Kirwan is from Niskayuna, but when the team traveled to Long Island to play Adelphi, his mother, who was born there, called a friend for a suggestion. When the game ended, a shiny black Mercedes Benz pulled up and unloaded nine boxes of pizza and wings. With parents from all over chipping in to pay for food in their absence, there is never a shortage.
When all is said and done, the team goes home with an abundance of leftovers and memories made with their families. Except when senior close defender Trey Jackson’s parents make the trip from Maryland. They bring a platter of Chick-fil-a nuggets that always disappear. Most food arrives in disposable containers and leaves with the players. When the team is away the boys jump back on the bus, with smiles on their faces and food in their hands as they watch their parents clean up the mess they made.
The next lacrosse tailgate takes place at Plumeri Sports Complex when the Golden Knights return home for a game against Bentley on April 12 at 4:30 p.m.