Former MBYLL Athlete Matt Whippen
Of Chelmsford Youth Lacrosse
Story by Jonathan Sigal
2011-2014
2015-present
Played NCAA D1
Men's Lacrosse at
UMass Amherst
Recently accepted a position with HP in Albuquerque, NM
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The Scoop / Spring '15 25
his own even further as a UMass Minuteman. The political science major played in four games in each of his freshman and sophomore campaigns, but when Whippen became an upperclassmen, his role on the team increased exponentially.
Over the course of his final two seasons as a Minuteman he appeared in 28 games and amassed 23 goals, eight assists, and 14 groundballs. In stellar wins against Army and Ohio State, he found the back of the net five and three times, respectively. He was even named the Colonial Athletic Association’s Player of the Week during his junior season.
“It was a great experience at UMass,” he said. “Seeing where I was freshman year up until where I was senior year, and even now, it isn’t even comparable. I used to be one-dimensional since I was all left handed, but now I’m a lot more dynamic. I was also playing with some great players up there, so that helped a lot.”
Outside of the athletic realm, Whippen's lacrosse experiences at UMass allowed him to fully flourish and thrive as a person. During those four years, Matt was able to hone his skills and understanding of the game, but more importantly, he acquired holistic life skills that he still finds applicable today.
“Playing lacrosse gave me a leg-up as a person and developed my team-oriented and goal-setting mindset,” he remarked. “Lastly, being competitive was key, too. In the classroom I always wanted to get a better grade, on the field beat a better team, and just be better than those around me.”
His college experience allowed him to fully understand how important it was to blend his competitive nature with team and goal-oriented skills, especially in light of finding a job. He has done just that, as Matt recently took a position with Hewlett Packard in their Albuquerque, New Mexico branch. In that type of vocation, Matt will be able to combine his inherent drive and ambition.
After graduating from UMass—in addition to playing in local men’s leagues—Matt went back to his lacrosse roots and acted as a mentor towards young athletes in his hometown of Chelmsford. He didn’t personally have this when he was an aspiring lacrosse player, so he is hopeful that he can guide today’s youth players in a direction that leads towards many positive experiences.
“When I was growing up, Chelmsford Youth Lacrosse wasn’t very big, as the sport and program hadn’t really grown yet,” Whippen recalled. “I don’t remember getting any sort of mentoring from older guys, probably because it wasn’t at that stage yet. Personally I want to take what I didn’t have and give back to Chelmsford Youth Lacrosse. I think giving back and remembering your roots is one of the most important things you can do, no matter where the game takes you.”
When out in Albuquerque, Whippen also plans on aiding in the growth of the game out there and trying to forge out positive experiences for kids through lacrosse, much like the game did for him. While taking on a challenge like that will be a tall task, Matt has experience to lean upon in the ventures ahead.
There is no denying that Whippen reached levels in lacrosse that few get to enjoy, but he recognizes that he wouldn’t be where he is today without the instruction of his MBYLL and high school coaches. It is his hope that he will be able to impart some of his learned wisdom and skills, all with the awareness of how important it is to give back to the community.
As Matt’s relationship with lacrosse has now come full circle, he is fully aware of the extent to which he dedicated himself to the sport throughout his childhood. Although Whippen had a tentative early relationship with the game, all of his hard work and commitment paid off in the end.
He remained loyal to a new and unfamiliar game, and in the process slowly cultivated lifelong values and characteristics. By growing as a person and athlete with his native Chelmsford MBYLL team, Matt emphatically believes he has grown into the young adult he is currently is.
“I would say if someone says you can’t do [something] they're wrong,” he said. “The only person stopping you is yourself and if it weren’t for what I overcame with lacrosse I wouldn’t be where I am today.”