The Rockyview Rage is looking to expand their bench strength in their second season of Jr. 'B' tier II lacrosse in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League.

Head coach Kent Proctor says they expect to have a full roster in their second year of operation.

"We probably won’t max out, but we’ll have a full roster so we’ll rely on affiliates far less and we’ll have a more consistent roster and this is where the growth really begins," says Proctor.

The Rage has a young roster and welcomes experienced junior age players to return to the sport.

"We have a young team so if we had a few veterans in Cochrane or Airdrie thinking of playing again, even if they can't commit fully, we'd be interested in talking to them and see if they want to come back out."

The team opens its regular season on the road Apr. 27. Four games into the season they hold their season home opener on May 10 at Totem One in the SLS Family Sports Centre

The team was created to allow minor league graduates to continue to enjoy the sport. It also allows players to further develop should they aspire to play at a higher level.

Joint Fundraiser a success

A few weeks ago the Rage ad Silvertips teamed up for a joint fundraiser at the Cochrane Lions Events Centre. It featured the bands Sideways Garage and the two-piece alternative band Good Grief. Both bands donated their services for the evening to help raise some crucial funding for the two junior teams.

"We have budgets and we have the travel and sports aren’t cheap so the club has to raise money is we can keep it affordable. The premises around my team is to keep lacrosse as accessible and affordable as possible for those coming out of minor lacrosse. For the tier I team, their mandate is more of a competitive one so they need the funds to travel and they have to be competitive so they need more equipment and more floor time. If we didn’t do stuff like this the cost to play lacrosse would be phenomenal."

Proctor, who is a member of Sideways Garage, says he appreciates the time his fellow musicians and Cole Cross and Sacha Ruparell, of Good Grief, put into preparing for the dance. None have a connection to lacrosse. He also gives thanks to the cross-section of people who came out for the event.

"Some like the music, some like to support lacrosse, some came because a whole bunch of other friends were there. It worked out well."