At CT Wolves, every player who wears the Wolves jersey should know the story of Jimmy McGrath. Jimmy wasn't just one of our players. He was a teammate, a friend, and someone whose impact on this club continues to be felt every day.

Jimmy was a proud member of our 2023 Wolves team. He had an infectious personality, an incredible sense of humor, and a competitive spirit that made him someone his teammates looked up to from an early age. He loved being part of the Wolves family and loved competing alongside his friends. Jimmy always put the team first.

On May 15, 2022, Jimmy's life was tragically taken. His loss devastated his family, his friends, his teammates, and everyone connected to CT Wolves. While we continue to miss him every day, we celebrate the incredible person he was and the lasting impact he made on our club. One of the many things that stood out about Jimmy was his eagerness to be a leader both on and off the field. He loved helping members of his community, especially at the youth level, and was always willing to give back by mentoring younger players.

Ask anyone who played with Jimmy, and they'll have a story to tell, usually a funny one. He had a way of making every practice and tournament more memorable. He was funny, fiercely competitive, loyal, and someone people loved being around. His teammates respected him not only because of the way he played, but because of the person he was. Family meant everything to Jimmy. His parents were always by his side at tournaments, and his sister, Rosie, was one of his biggest cheerleaders. Some of their family's favorite memories were made watching Jimmy do what he loved most, playing lacrosse.

Jimmy loved the color sky blue and always talked about wanting a sky blue porthole mesh Wolves jersey. And if you were watching Jimmy play, you always knew where he was. His signature bright red cleats made him easy to spot and became part of who he was on the field. After Jimmy passed away, those details took on a whole new meaning. The Wolves family immediately ordered custom sky blue porthole mesh jerseys with "JIMMY" on the back for every player on the 2023 team. That summer, every one of his teammates wore bright red cleats in his honor. Wherever the Wolves went that summer, Jimmy went with them, and he continues to this day.

Jimmy's story had touched so many people; coaches, officials, tournament directors, parents, and players from opposing teams all knew what had happened. At every tournament, our players were met with kind words and condolences. It didn't matter what club someone represented, every team felt for our boys and what they were going through, and everyone was cheering for the Wolves that summer.

The following season, the tribute continued. The sky blue mesh jersey became part of the entire CT Wolves program, and today every Wolves uniform includes a touch of sky blue in Jimmy's memory.

We want every player who joins CT Wolves to know who Jimmy was, not because of the tragedy that took him from us, but because of the way he lived. We want them to know about the teammate who always put others first, the kid who could make everyone laugh, the player who loved competing, and the young man who helped shape the culture of this club. For us, sky blue is more than a color. It is a reminder of Jimmy and the values he lived by. Jimmy and the McGrath family will always be part of the CT Wolves family.

If you would like to honor Jimmy's memory, donations can be made to the Jimmy McGrath Foundation, which continues to celebrate his life and carry forward his legacy. https://jimmymcgrathfoundation.org/