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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Campbells Revved up About Knighthawks

March 2, 2015 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


When the Rochester Knighthawks took on the Buffalo Bandits on January 31st, 7-year-old Matthew Campbell couldn't wait to be in the stands to cheer on his favorite local sports team.

What made the night even more exciting was that after the game, during the postgame autograph session with the players, Matthew was going to show two of his favorite players the cars he and his father made- Knighthawks-themed Pinewood Derby cars.

Matthew is a Boy Scout from St. Kateri Cub Scout Pack 233 in Irondequoit. As the Pinewood Derby loomed closer, his father, Rick asked him what kind of car he wanted to design for this year's race. It didn't take Matthew much time to choose a Knighthawks-themed car.

"Last year, he did a Steelers car (for the Derby) so when it came time to do another car this year, I asked him and he said he wanted to do the Knighthawks," Rick said. "I asked him if he wanted to put somebody's jersey number on his car and who he would want on it. We like Joe (Walters) and Dan Dawson and Cody (Jamieson) and he picked Joe."

Going along with the Knighthawks theme, Rick made a car using Scott Campbell's number to race in the parent race. In true Knighthawks style, it came in first place at the Pinewood Derby on January 30th.

Rick and his son were first introduced to the National Lacrosse League and the Rochester Knighthawks when forward Joe Walters took his anti-bullying presentation to Matthew's school last year. Matthew received a free ticket to a game and his family jumped on the opportunity to watch box lacrosse, something they had never done before. The Campbell's went to a home game against Minnesota last March and became instant fans.

"We went to our first game against Minnesota and from then on we were hooked," said Rick. "After that game, we went to every game right through the championship last year. Last summer, (Matthew) did a lacrosse camp and we went to some outdoor games and we just became really addicted to lacrosse."

After watching the Knighthawks win their historic third straight NLL title last spring, Matthew and his family were excited when a new season was approaching. They attended the preseason game and the home opener this season and then made it out to the big game against Buffalo the day after Matthew placed in the Pinewood Derby race with his Knighthawks car.

Placing in this first Pinewood Derby competition means that Matthew and his Knighthawks car will move on to the District Race on Saturday, April 11th.

"Since his car placed, he gets to go to the district race with all the other packs in the district," said Rick. "You can't make any modifications to the car so he couldn't have Joe sign the car. But after the District Race, he really wants him to sign it."

Matthew is thrilled to be moving on to the next phase of the Derby and to have the Knighthawks see what he is doing to represent his favorite lacrosse team.

"He was really excited when he found out his car was going to get a little feature from the Knighthawks," Rick said. "It's just really cool."

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National Lacrosse League Stories from March 2, 2015


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