SPOKANE — Local kids tapped their lacrosse sticks on the floor and put their team's spin on a classic chant. 

"Let's go White Pines.... Let's go White Pines!" they said. 

That sound echoed through Eagles Ice Arena as the White Pines semi-pro lacrosse team made their debut in the Box Lacrosse League's Western Conference against the Boise Bighorns on July 11. That sound and the memory of his team jumping out to an early 3-0 lead will live in the head of White Pines general manager Chad Cole forever. 

"The kids were super excited to watch it, and then, that first moment jumping up 3-0, and all the players, everyone's on a high," Cole said. "It was electric for the whole game, and it's a super special moment. It's a core memory at this point." 

While the White Pines dropped both of their games against the Bighorns, Cole said the games were the next step for the organization that has been working to grow lacrosse in Sandpoint.  

Cole said that the White Pines organization was created in 2023 to solve a problem in the city's lacrosse community. By the time outdoor fields were ready for play, the high school season was just a week or two away, meaning high schoolers who were new to the sport were left with little time to learn before the games started. 

"With where we live and being a spring sport, we get on the fields like April 15, and our first tournament is a week later, so we have no time to develop these young players," Cole said. "That's how White Pines was born." 

The organization went to work prioritizing the development of the next generation of lacrosse players with summer and fall camps. Cole said that has expanded into 3-on-3 games, for more advanced players to get in-game experience at home. 

"The beauty of that is that they're getting a lot of touches, right?" Cole said. "If you're playing full 10-on-10 all the time, you might only get the ball three or four times, right? When you're playing 3-on-3, you're probably getting the ball 20 or 30 times. So, it's just expediting the learning curve." 

That effort has paid off, Cole said, with numerous Sandpoint High students being named to all-conference teams this last year, and one player headed to play NAIA lacrosse. While the program has found success, Cole said that these players are just the first wave, and he hopes they will continue to give back to the local lacrosse community.  

The White Pines' new semi-pro team is one way that Cole believes that those stars can continue to give back.  

"We had development from first grade through high school, but we had nothing to do really once they came back," Cole said. "We wanted you to have a higher-level option for our players that you know have been grinding it out for four, five, six years. Now when they come home for the summer, they have an option to go play a semi-pro." 

While the White Pines are based in Sandpoint, their home games are played in Spokane at the Eagles Ice Arena due to the lack of an indoor facility in the region. That's something that Cole hopes to see changed as the city of Ponderay works to complete its Field of Dreams vision, which would include an ice rink, where the White Pines could establish themselves. 

For now, though, Cole is focused on growing the White Pines organization. He said he is supercharged by the excitement around the organization and sport of lacrosse as a whole. 

"We'll keep doing more until we find the limit, which we haven't touched yet," Cole said. "When you're not fighting against things, and it all falls in line, it works out pretty well, and we've got a great group of supporters and volunteers that just want to see it succeed." 

The White Pines semi-pro team has four games left in its season, double headers against the Salt Lake City Storm and Salt Lake City Surge, respectively. The showdown with the Surge will be the White Pines' final games of the season and will be hosted at Eagles Ice Arena in Spokane. 

Cole is leading the charge on growing White Pines, but he originally got involved with the Sandpoint lacrosse scene because of his son. He said that growing White Pines alongside his son's growth has been one of the coolest parts for him.  

This past season was the first time that Cole and his son were able to play on the same summer ball team. 

"Knowing that he's leaving next year, it makes it a lot more special to play with him, be on his team this year, and kind of watch the journey for one more year," Cole said. 

More information about the White Pines youth camps can be found on their social media. While information on the White Pines semi-pro team can be found at boxlacrossleague.com. 

    The chanting fans of the White Pines watch their opening games in Spokane.
  

    The White Pines Lacrosse team plays defense against the Boise Bighorns during their opening games on July 11-12.