Westhampton Beach Brewing Company, New York Riptide Lacrosse Team Partners For A Charitable Cause

An idea and partnership that was created nearly three years ago culminated on Sunday when members of the New York Riptide, a professional indoor lacrosse team of the National Lacrosse League, had their end-of-the-season bash at Westhampton Beach Brewing Company.

Brian Sckipp, co-founder of Westhampton Beach Brewing Company, and Rich Lisk, executive vice president of GF Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the New York Riptide, met before the team’s Hometown Heroes game at Nassau Coliseum a few years back. The two got to talking and eventually partnered on the launch of the special-edition Riptide Double India Pale Ale last April. A portion of proceeds from the sales of the beer benefited the Boomer Esiason Foundation, raising money, awareness and support for the cystic fibrosis community.

As both Sckipp and Lisk noted, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed things down a bit, but after all was said and done, Westhampton Beach Brewing Company and the New York Riptide were able to contribute $8,000 toward the foundation’s fight against cystic fibrosis.

Lisk said it was the “All Long Island” part that drew him into the three-pronged partnership.

“Riptide lacrosse, Westhampton Beach Brewing Company, Boomer Esiason Foundation — all Long Island,” he said. “We’re the number one tenant in the Nassau Coliseum, and I want to be Long Island’s team, and so tying in with a company like Westhampton Beach Brewing Company and with Boomer makes us all Long Island.”

For Sckipp, a former lacrosse player and then coach at nearby William Floyd School District, it was a no-brainer of a deal, but he admitted from his tasting room floor on Sunday that he and his team were torn between two names for the beer — Riptide or Coastal Evacuation.

“Rich was like, ‘I like Riptide a lot better,’” Sckipp said, with a laugh. “And then three days later he came out to the brewery, and it was the easiest deal I’ve ever made. We love the team, we love the idea to make it a charitable beer because we try to do so many different things to get involved with the community. We have a copper ale that comes out this time year where proceeds have gone to the Tunnel To Towers Foundation. This year we’re working with the Wounded Warriors, and now the Boomer Esiason Foundation. It all just made sense, having played lacrosse on Long Island and having coached it, it was just a great way for us to find a new way to give back to the community, to Long Island and be a part of the sport that I grew up with and love.”

Westhampton Beach Brewing Company brewer Mike Rizzo said the company knew it wanted to do a double IPA, which tends to be a little higher in alcohol content, so they did something simple and did a blend of an East Coast and West Coast IPA.

“I know lacrosse boys can handle their alcohol so I figured why not give them something they can handle,” he said, with a smile.

The Riptide players — 85 percent of whom are Canadians, according to Lisk — were certainly enjoying Riptide the beer on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the brewery, which had gotten an ax throwing company to come in and had cornhole and various other games for those in attendance. The Riptide lacrosse team is still in its infancy, on the verge of completing its very first complete season this Saturday, April 30, at the Albany Firewolves.

This past Saturday night, the Riptide played their home finale, a hard-fought 16-13 loss to the Halifax Thunderbirds that eliminated them from postseason contention after falling to 6-11 on the season. But head coach Daniel Ladouceur noted that the team was 1-12 during its inaugural season, which was cut short due to the pandemic, and the team has certainly made some strides in a short time. In that loss, Jeff Teat broke both Tom Schreiber’s 2017 NLL rookie record of 61 assists and Randy Staats’s NLL 2016 rookie record of 95 points. And Steven Orleman broke Matt King’s NLL rookie record for most saves in a season with 603 saves, which was set in 2002.

“Rich Lisk kind of came in and cleaned house. General manager, coaching staff, it was a little bit of a culture change, how we wanted to prepare to what kind of people we wanted to bring in,” Ladouceur explained. “Rich is always about character over characters. We want people with good character that we can build a franchise. So it’s a slow process, but this year is a good step.”

Zane Smith, director of sports business operations for the Riptide, reiterated that point.

“From year one to year two, it’s a big step for us,” he said. “A lot of new guys. We weren’t sure how everything was going to mesh. These guys are great. Everyone that you see here today loves each other. Everyone is perfect for each other, so we’re really happy with how the year’s gone.”

It seems no matter the wins and losses next year, Westhampton Beach Brewing Company and the New York Riptide will have a lasting partnership.

“We came in today talking about that conversation we had three years ago,” Sckipp said. “We were like, ‘Ready to do it again?’ And we both said ‘absolutely,’ so hopefully we raise more money next year.”