Inside the Historic Turnaround of Albany, NY’s Pro Lacrosse Juggernaut [INTERVIEW]

Scroll below to hear our interview with Albany FireWolves' head coach and GM, Glenn Clark.

The date: April 29, 2023.

The event: an Albany FireWolves' home game at MVP Arena against in-state rivals, the Buffalo Bandits.

The score: 16-10 Buffalo.

The record: 3-15 overall, and 0-9 at home.

The 2023 NLL season was one to forget for the Albany FireWolves, and for their head coach and GM, Glenn Clark. The team won their first game of the season, and after losing games two and three of the campaign, they picked up their second win in their fourth game, moving back to a .500 win percentage.

11 games and 85 days later, they won their third game of the season.

With the 2023 campaign in the rearview mirror, Clark and the staff went to work. When all was said and done, less than half of the players who suited up for the 'Wolves in that game against Buffalo were in the lineup when the team took the floor for their first game of this season, which was played in Las Vegas.

Yet, in their first game as a newly-formed team, the FireWolves won, besting Vegas by a score of 12-10. One week later, they won again, avenging their season-ending loss against Buffalo at MVP Arena.

Add four more wins (and zero losses) to that tally, and that's where the Albany FireWolves find themselves today. They're 6-0, well ahead of the pack in the National Lacrosse League entering play this weekend against San Diego.

Here's how it happened.

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Inside the Albany FireWolves' Historic Turnaround From One Year Ago

As mentioned above, the roster underwent significant changes over the offseason. Key members of the franchise --- captain Brett Manney, veterans John LaFontaine and Greg Downing, and key scorers Connor Kelly and Kieran McArdle --- were among those not back in Albany for 2024.

The team experienced a youth movement, with a few key draft picks --- Alex Simmons, Tye Kurtz --- joining the roster.

In addition, Clark and Co. made a few swift moves, acquiring players like Marshall Powless, Travis Longboat and Nathan Grenon from other franchises, and giving each of those players more minutes, and more responsibility, in Albany.

Add in the return of Joe Nardella, one of the most dominant face-off men in the game, and suddenly, hardcore fans began to see the vision that the coaching staff all along.

With a roster full of young players, however, the FireWolves needed to identify leaders in their locker room. These were the veterans who could help guide rookies and newcomers through their first season playing in Albany.

Three players --- Colton Watkinson, Nick Chaykowsky and Ethan Walker --- received "letters" from the team as captains, while others --- Nardella, netminder Doug Jamieson and defender Jackson Nishimura --- were also named members of the team's leadership group.

Together, this group has accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. They are the 13th team in league history to begin their season 6-0, reaching that total with a win on the road over Lyle Thompson and the Georgia Swarm.

What's next for the Albany FireWolves? We asked Coach Clark that question (and many others) when he joined "The Drive" on Wednesday afternoon.

Glenn Clark Joins "The Drive" Ahead of Albany FireWolves' Home Game

Here are both parts of our in-studio conversation with Glenn Clark:

The FireWolves are back home at MVP Arena on Saturday, January 20th. It's Margaritaville Night at the arena, and the first 1,200 will received posters when they enter the building. There will also be drink specials for margaritas, a half-time limbo contest, and much more.

Click here to get your tickets today!