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The Vancouver Warriors wore special T-shirts during their warm-ups Friday night at Rogers Arena to show support for Hayden Yerbury, the 15-year-old from Ridge Meadows Minor Lacrosse who was hit by a ball in the back of neck two weeks ago and remains in hospital.
The T-shirts state We Are One and show a lacrosse stick and along with No. 21, which is Yerbury’s usual jersey number. The shirts are part of a fundraiser set up by Ridge Meadows Minor and MVP Athletics. They cost $20 and $15 from each sale goes to the Yerbury family. There’s more information here. Shirt sales close Sunday, according to an Instagram post.
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Vancouver won the game Friday, outscoring the Halifax Thunderbirds 4-1 in the fourth quarter en route to an 8-7 National Lacrosse League triumph before an announced crowd of 9,234 at Rogers Arena.
“I’ve had a chance to coach Hayden and that family is just incredible,” said Warriors forward Curtis Dickson while clad in a Yerbury T-shirt in the post-game media availability. “Just being able to wear this for him and let him know that the whole lacrosse community is thinking about him and wishes him a speedy recovery.”
Vancouver general manager and head coach Curt Malawsky added: “The lacrosse community is a big family and when one of our own is down we’re all there for him.”
Warriors defensive co-ordinator Rob Williams. Last weekend, during pre-game warmups at a tournament, Hayden Yerbury, 15, suffered a serious injury when he was struck in the back of the neck by a lacrosse ball. Coaches wore special T-shirts for their April 10 game. Vancouver Warriors photo
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The Vancouver coaching staff wore the T-shirts during the morning shoot. Yerbury has played on teams coached by Malawsky coming through the ranks. Malawsky’s son Dawson and Yerbury have been teammates as well.
“I’ve watched him grow up since he was four or five years old and that family is top drawer,” Malawsky said after Friday’s game. “He’s fighting right now and we’re all there for him. He’s always asking his mom about the Warriors and when he’s well enough we’re going to get the team down there.
“The guys wanted to wear the shirts in the first warm-up. They said that they weren’t worried about any distractions and they wanted to support young Hayden and they did.
“The next 12 days or so is going to be tough for him and we just have to keep him in our thoughts and prayers.”
Vancouver (12-5) finishes off the regular season next Saturday by hosting the Philadelphia Wings at Rogers Arena on Saturday. Friday’s win bumped the Warriors into first place in the 14-team loop ahead of Saturday’s slate of games in the circuit. Vancouver had already secured a playoff spot and they could clinch home floor advantage in the first round by the end of the Saturday depending on how various outcomes played out.
The top eight teams make the post-season. The quarterfinals are single elimination at the home of the higher seed. The quarterfinals are a best-of-three set, as are the finals.
Friday’s win also established a franchise record since the club moved to the Lower Mainland in 2014 as the Vancouver Stealth. The Vancouver Canucks bought the club ahead of the 2019 season, moved them from the Langley Events Centre to Rogers Arena and gave them a new nickname and look.
Vancouver went 11-7 last year and lost to the eventual champion Buffalo Bandits in the semifinals.
@SteveEwen
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