WHO ARE THE FIREWOLVES?

The FireWolves’ brand identity reflects the organization’s deep roots in the National Lacrosse League, pays tribute to lacrosse’s Native American heritage, and represents the team’s commitment to serving the community throughout the Albany area.

Lacrosse’s history goes back 1,000s of years on the lands of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which spanned from the Hudson River and the Mohawk Valley north into Quebec and Ontario in the Great Lakes region. The Albany area was originally inhabited by both Mohawk (Iroquois) and Mohican (Algonquin) tribes, and the roots of lacrosse began in what is now New York State and Canada as early as 1100AD. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois for “People of the Longhouse”) believe lacrosse, which they call Dehoñtjihgwa’és (translation: “they bump hips”), was a gift from The Creator. Also known as “The Medicine Game”, lacrosse is believed to have healing powers and remains a central part of Native American communities throughout the Northeast.

The FireWolves are proud to call the Capital Region home and continue our lineage in the area that dates back to the National Lacrosse League runner-up Albany Attack in 2002. A through line beginning in the early 2000s, the wolf was part of the Attack’s logo, while also being part of the logo and name of the New England Black Wolves that played in Connecticut from 2015 to 2020 before the franchise moved to Albany before the 2021-22 season. Native to the Adirondacks and also one of only three repeating clans throughout the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the wolf embodies many of our organization’s key values: courage, strength, loyalty and leadership. On and off the field.

While the “FireWolf” is a mystical creature, the use of fire in the name represents the symbolism of community and gathering for ceremony. The Mohican tribes who originally inhabited the Capital Region called it Pempotowwuthut-Muhhcanneuw, meaning “the fireplace of the Mohican nation”. We believe strongly in the power of sports as a common-ground meeting place for the community, and the entire FireWolves organization is excited to celebrate competition at the highest level and honor lacrosse’s deep roots in the Capital Region.

In summary, the FireWolves are fierce competitors, hunt together and are loyal to the pack.  The Albany FireWolves organization holds the values of teamwork, competitive desire and community focus in the highest regard as we honor the heritage of lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League teams that came before us, while working to create a positive impact throughout the Capital Region.