Where
Is He Now?
2004-2006
2007-2010
Started playing
lacrosse in Middle School for Chelmsford Youth Lacrosse
Played Varsity Lacrosse for Chelmsford
High School
24 The Scoop / Spring '15
Every year thousands of young athletes grace the fields for various programs throughout Mass Bay Youth Lacrosse League (MBYLL) with the end goal of playing with their friends and enjoying the infectious nature of lacrosse. Few end up reaching the pinnacle of personal and athletic excellence that Matt Whippen, a North Chelmsford native, enjoyed throughout his extraordinary relationship with the game. While the heights Whippen reached with lacrosse distinguish him from many other aspiring lacrosse players, his story and symbiotic growth with the game follows a path that many young athletes around the country can relate to.
Long before Whippen stepped on a lacrosse field he spent many hours on baseball diamonds, football fields, and the ice. Lacrosse was a relatively new game when he was in elementary school and few young athletes were competing for his native Chelmsford Youth Lacrosse program. When middle school came around, many of Matt’s closest friends decided to suit up for the popular new program and he couldn’t resist the urge to join them. On the lacrosse field he was then able to play an exciting and fast-paced game with the kids he grew up with.
“Playing with guys from my hometown, the guys I grew up with was great,” Whippen said. “When I started lacrosse it was nice to learn a new sport and develop skills with guys that I knew my whole childhood. I think that helped me like the game a lot more, which in turn led to me developing my skills more.”
Whippen ended up taking a brief hiatus from lacrosse, but once he returned in seventh grade, his passion for the fastest game on two feet grew tenfold. The North Chelmsford native was unaware of it at the time, but by reuniting with his stick and pads he was igniting the embers of what would become a prosperous lacrosse career. He seamlessly united his athletic talents with lacrosse and quickly became one of the star players on his team.
By the time high school rolled around, Whippen had enjoyed many fond experiences with his MBYLL teams and was one of the only freshmen to make Thomas Gallagher’s varsity squad at Chelmsford High School. His freshman season was relatively modest, but he started to make his mark during his sophomore campaign when he earned more playing time and received a Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star nod.
During Matt’s junior season the laurels continued to come his way as he was named Chelmsford’s MVP and earned another All-Conference award. When his senior season rolled around it was clear that Whippen was one of the best players not just at his school and conference, but in the entire state. He achieved yet another MVP award, took home All-Conference and All-American honors, and finished the season with an incredible 84 goals and 43 assists for 127 total points.
It would be understandable if Whippen, who also played football and hockey and consistently made the honor roll and Dean’s list, had an aura of cockiness when reflecting on his high school career. However, the All-American is quick to point out that his success on the field can be attributed to his mentality and work ethic.
"High school was a good opportunity for me because I embrace the blue-collar mentality when I play sports,” explained Whippen. “In other words, you have to work for what you get because nothing is handed to you. I went to a high school where the coach emphasized [this] mentality and that helped me seamlessly transition into the program.”
Whippen’s determined and focused nature combined with his raw athletic ability to create one of the top attackmen in the country. He finished his Chelmsford lacrosse career with 197 goals and 92 assists. In an effort to enhance his chances of playing collegiate lacrosse, Whippen spent the summer between his sophomore and junior years playing club lacrosse with the New Hampshire Tomahawks.
This gave him exposure to some of the best programs in the country and conversations with numerous Division I teams developed. Coaches from Duke University, Siena College, and The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) ardently courted Matt, but it was the UMass program that ultimately ended up making the most sense to him and his family.
“Coach Canella [from UMass] gave me a call and told me he was interested,” Whippen said. “Being an in-state school it made sense financially, academically, and location-wise. I found that it was the best fit for me. I took the SAT, sent in my application, and committed through my National Letter of Intent.”
Even though he had grown as an athlete and as a person throughout his high school lacrosse experience, he came into