|
“Growth of the Sport”
The history of the sport of lacrosse dates back nearly 800 years with it being the oldest sport native the North American continent. Rooted in Native American religion lacrosse was often played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, build strength and virility and give thanks to the Creator. To many Native Americans, lacrosse is still referred to as the “The Creators Game.”
The sport evolved from Native Americans and games of 1,000 players per side with contests competed over one to 15 miles, to the modernization of the sport which started in 1636 by a Jesuit missionary who documented a contest of 48 Native American tribes. French pioneers began playing the game avidly in the 1800s. The first college men’s team was in 1877 with Phillips Andover Academy (MA) being among the first schools to field a team. The nation’s first high school teams began in 1882.
Men’s and women’s lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules until the 1930s with no protective equipment. At that time, men’s lacrosse began evolving dramatically, while women’s lacrosse continued to remain true to the game’s original rules. Men’s and women’s lacrosse remain two distinct forms of the same game today but are played under different rules. Women’s rules limit stick contact, prohibit body contact and, therefore, require little protective equipment. Men’s lacrosse rules allow some degree of stick and body contact, and the game does requires protective equipment.
Today, over 150,000 boys and girls compete in youth programs throughout the United States. In Massachusetts, there are 200 towns who participate in the Mass Bay Youth Lacrosse League(s) with teams for U11, U13 and U15 for both boys and girls. At the high school level in the State there are 164 programs including area teams from Barnstable, Bourne, Bishop Connolly, Bishop Stang, Dartmouth, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and New Bedford who compete in the “Maritime Lacrosse Conference.”
In Lakeville, the “Lakers Youth Lacrosse” program was started in 2006 with 75 boys and girls participating in a developmental program. In 2007, we had over 135 and in 2008, 225 players who participated in a ‘skill building’ program for kids aged 4-5-6 and U9, U11, U13 and U15 teams for boys and 3/4 grade, 5/6 grade and 7/8 grade for girls and competed in the MBYLL/MBGLL which offers an eight game season against local towns in the South Shore Cape and Islands division.
Lakers Youth Lacrosse program has over 20+ players per age group and believe the numbers will grow dramatically in the coming years.
The keys to long term success of the lacrosse program in Lakeville will be:
- Conduct developmental, skill building, “Learn to Play” programs (ages 4-5-6) for boys and girls
- Develop outreach with the Physical Education instructors to provide lacrosse sections in gym classes (to donate equipment and curriculum)
- Participate in the MBYLL/MBGLL programs to offer competitive participation
- Establish a close working relationship with the School district to build a High School program for the boys and girls to participate in after they have gone through the LYL programs
- Build the bridge with the growth of the sport in Massachusetts at the collegiate (the NCAA Finals will be contested at Gillette Stadium in May, 2008 and 2009), area college programs (Stonehill, Bridgewater and UMASS-Dartmouth and professional levels (the Boston Cannons play a full season at Harvard stadium and offer clinics and summer camps promoting the growth of the sport in the region)
|
