Matthews Continues To Make Her Mark In Lacrosse

Harper Matthews. Photo submitted

Local homegrown athlete Harper Matthews continues to prove that small-town players can make a big impact when hard work, dedication and opportunity come together.

Matthews, a U17 lacrosse player from the Clandonald area, has been steadily paving her way to success through the sport. She figures she has been playing lacrosse since she was about five years old, starting out as a player and continuing in that role until her U13 year. That was when she decided to make the switch to goalie, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Matthews spent part of her minor lacrosse years with the Vermilion Roar, playing with the Roar during her second year of U13 before COVID interrupted the season. She then continued with the Roar through her two U15 years, where she took on the goalie role, building her confidence and skill between the pipes.

In 2023, Matthews earned the opportunity to represent Zone 7 as a goalie at the Alberta Summer Games in Okotoks. It was another important step in her development and one of the early experiences that helped show where the sport could take her.

In 2024, Matthews attended Prairie Cup for the first time, adding another level of competition to her growing lacrosse resume. Last year, she returned to Prairie Cup in Regina, where she played for Team Alberta North.

Matthews began playing with the Sherwood Park U17 Titans last year and returned this season for what would be her final year of minor lacrosse. Being part of the Titans program has given her the opportunity to compete in a strong all-female program while continuing to grow at a higher level of play.

The Titans had an outstanding season, winning their league and earning their way to provincials in Blackfalds, where they faced Calgary Fury Silver in a best-of-three series. Sherwood Park opened the weekend with a win on Friday before Calgary battled back to take the second game on Saturday. That pushed the series into an intense third match on Sunday, where the Titans came out on top and captured the 2026 provincial championship title.

For Matthews, it was a memorable way to close out her final U17 season. “I’m so very grateful for such a great group of girls that I got to play with throughout the lax season! It was an amazing way to end my last year of U17! I’m so very fortunate to be playing with a bunch of incredible female athletes,” said Matthews.

Matthews has also been shortlisted for the Team Alberta Female U17 Box team that will compete at the Dorothy Robertson tournament in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from August 8 to 16, 2026. Being shortlisted for the Halifax tournament is another major step for the young athlete and reflects the work she has put into her game.

Next year, Matthews will move into junior lacrosse, where she plans to play with the U22 junior team. It will mark another exciting chapter in a journey that began close to home and has continued to grow with each opportunity.

For Matthews, each opportunity has been another building block. From her early years with the Vermilion Roar to competing with Sherwood Park, Prairie Cup, select Alberta teams and provincial-level opportunities, she continues to represent her community with determination.