Texas native Mike Delloro has been around lacrosse for most of his life.

He started playing the game during his middle school days in San Antonio, continued through his time at Central Catholic High School, and then became a club player during his collegiate and post-collegiate days.

He has coached at both the high school and college club level, and continues to coach with various summer travel teams. In addition, Delloro is the founder of both the Texoma Lacrosse Club in Denison, Texas, and the Durant (Okla.) Lacrosse Association. He serves as program leader for both organizations and also coaches all the youth and high school teams.

Delloro is also an advisor trying to help launch a college club team at his alma mater, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, located in Durant, with hopes of playing an MCLA schedule in 2019. He, of course, will serve as coach.

“Lacrosse has always been a passion of mine,” said Delloro, a US Lacrosse Level 3-certified coach.

In 2015, Delloro decided there was, somehow, room for more on his plate. He created the Heart of America Tournament, dedicated to providing emerging and JV-level high school boys’ programs with an end-of-season championship opportunity.

“This is an event for school teams, not travel club teams,” Delloro said. “We want to give newer teams which might take their lumps against more developed programs during the season a chance to play for a trophy.”

The tournament, played in early May in Durant, typically features an eight-team field, and has had participants from five different states — Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas and New Mexico. The 2018 championship was won by the Andover Vipers from Wichita, the first non-Texas winner in the tournament’s four years.

“We wanted a level playing field with teams that are closely matched in skill level,” Delloro said. “Every game is so closely contested. This is a great way to finish off the spring season.”

Delloro loves to see the competitive spirit that has developed among the participating players. Skill competitions — like fastest shot, most accurate, fastest player and Braveheart contests — provide bragging rights and create the feel of an all-star weekend.

“These kids are invested and want to get better,” Delloro said. “The passion that the players and teams bring is outstanding.”

Interestingly, the continued growth of the sport in northern Texas and southern Oklahoma, which Delloro has helped to fuel through his efforts, may force changes to the event in the future. Delloro notes that the tournament may evolve into two competitive divisions, and may soon add a girls division too.

“I feel like this region is ready to really start flowing,” Delloro said. “I’d love to see the floodgates open.”

Delloro’s selfless commitment to the sport, evidenced on so many different fronts, has not gone unnoticed by those in the lacrosse community.

“If there was a man of the year for Texas and Oklahoma, I’d put his name in that hat,” said Tim LaBelle, US Lacrosse’s regional manager for the Southwest.

With four years now completed, the Heart of Lacrosse Tournament is achieving what its founder had envisioned.

“We wanted to give these players a chance to have fun and enjoy themselves without the pressure of league play,” Delloro said. “We simply wanted to provide a stage for them to perform, to excel, and to honor the game.”

Locally Grown

Louisiana

The Louisiana High School Lacrosse League, which represents all high school boys’ teams across the state, crowned St. Thomas More Catholic High School as the 2018 LHSLL champion. Prior to the start of the semifinals, the league hosted a 7v7 tournament to showcase the future of youth and high school lacrosse with teams consisting of seventh- and eighth-graders.

Dallas

The Dallas Rattlers’ inaugural game April 29 saw more than 7,200 fans come through the doors of The Star in Frisco, with the Rattlers earning an overtime victory. Bridge Lacrosse (DFW) was honored at halftime, had an equipment donation tent in the plaza and attended an hour-long clinic where 60 youth players had fun on the turf. STX Together Lacrosse Club also attended the clinic.

Heartland

From May 4-6, the Heartland Lacrosse League, which represents all high school boys’ and girls’ team in Arkansas, Oklahoma and part of Missouri, crowned conference champions in Edmond North (boys) and Bishop Kelly (girls).

Picture This

Signing Day

On May 19, prior to their game against the Atlanta Blaze, the Dallas Rattles signed Luke Allred, an 11-year-old youth lacrosse player who is battling leukemia, as an honorary member of the team.

My USL Rep

Tim LaBelle, Southwest

LaBelle, a native New Yorker who spent the last seven years as a lacrosse coach and administrator in central Texas, joined US Lacrosse in April 2017. He previously coached youth and high school lacrosse in Maryland, New York and North Carolina and is a US Lacrosse Coach Development Program trainer. A Tulsa, Okla., resident, he supports development efforts in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.