“Move the ball…Move the ball!” Have you heard this cry? Have you seen boys and girls cradling sticks as they gather with their friends? Have you heard the “thump, thump, thump,” of a ball against a neighbor’s rebounder? If so, it could only mean one thing – Lacrosse Season!
Spring lacrosse is in full swing here in Peachtree City and around the nation. Don’t know much about the sport? Well, you are not alone. What was once a niche sport in New England and the Middle Atlantic is now one of the fastest growing sports in the Southeast and the United States. US Lacrosse chapters have been established in 40 states and more than 560,000 people played on organized teams in 2009 compared to just over 250,000 in 2001.
But what is lacrosse? Lacrosse is considered to be one of the oldest team sports in America. As early as the 1400’s, the Iroquois, Huron, Algonquin and other tribes were playing the game. Rooted in Native American tradition, lacrosse was played to settle disputes between tribes, to develop strong men, and for military training. Goals could be miles apart with no sidelines to limit the playing field. Teams consisted of 100 to 1000 men and games could last for days. French missionaries observed the Huron Indians playing the game, and called it "la crosse," because the Natives' sticks resembled the crosier carried by French bishops as a symbol of office.
Today, NCAA Men’s lacrosse championships routinely draw crowds in the neighborhood of 50,000 and has become a regular feature on ESPNU and CBS College Sports. This year’s championship game will be played on May 31st and televised on ESPN. Nearly 100 other men’s and women’s games are scheduled to be aired in 2010.
At the international level, lacrosse is now played in 36 countries, just shy of the 40 required for consideration as an Olympic event. The sport is on track for inclusion in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
One of the reasons for lacrosse’s growing popularity is that it combines the best features of many other sports. It incorporates the back and forth movement of soccer, the motion and plays of basketball, and the sticks, hand skills, and behind the goal set ups found in hockey.
Another reason is that anyone can play lacrosse. Girl or boy, big or small, you are not limited by your genetic disposition of size and height. It is a game of skill, speed, strategy, and athletic ability.
The fundamental concepts of men's and women's lacrosse are similar - players try to score goals by using a stick, featuring a plastic head with netting at the end, to shoot a ball into the goal. The differences lie in the rules due to the fact that men's lacrosse allows body contact, and thus utilizes more protective equipment.
Youth lacrosse is the fastest growing segment of the sport with more than 30,000 additional players picking up the sport last year. The Peachtree City Lacrosse league can attest to the growing popularity. According to Rob Learnard, PTCLAX’s Boys Commissioner, “Participation in the league is increasing on an average of 28% per year. Registration in the PTC program has more than tripled since 2003.”
Peachtree City Lacrosse is currently the only recreational league in Fayette County. While it operates mainly in Peachtree City, they welcome youth players from all over Fayette. Their focus is on elementary and middle school players with the goal “to teach the great game of lacrosse and offer a positive, fun experience for both girls and boys with the hopes that they will continue to play on their high school and college teams as student athletes.” This spring, the league fielded thirteen teams. One of those teams, comprised of dedicated middle schoolers, recently won the Dan Anderson Lacrosse Classic Tournament in Alabama. They outplayed 25 teams from five states to win the event.
According to US Lacrosse, the national governing body, lacrosse is now sanctioned as a high school championship sport in 21 states. Lacrosse became a Georgia high school varsity sport in 2002 with 21 boys teams and 16 girls teams. Today, Georgia has 58 boys teams and 59 girls teams. In Fayette County, McIntosh, Starr’s Mill and Whitewater High Schools field both JV and Varsity level teams for boys and girls. In their short existence, Fayette County high schools have already racked up a number of accomplishments including a trip to the Boys State Championship Game by McIntosh in 2008.
Ralph Swearngin, Georgia High School Association Executive Director, stated in a March, 2010 AJC article, “I do think the growth has surprised a lot of people who didn’t think it was going to catch on in the South.”
Fayette County also boasts some impressive lacrosse alumni:
Pete Cramblet was a 3x All-American from the US Military Academy. He was the recipient of the Turnbull Trophy as the nation's outstanding attackman, and the coveted Enners Award as the outstanding collegiate lacrosse player in the country (lacrosse’s equivalent to football’s Heisman Trophy). Pete is also a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The youth of Fayette County have been extremely fortunate to be the recipients of Pete’s long time dedication to the sport and his on-going passion for coaching our youth, including fall instructional leagues, winter box lacrosse, and the spring competitive season.
Liam Banks was a 2x All-American from Syracuse University, MVP of the 2000 National Championship Tournament, and a six-season National Lacrosse League professional player. He is the founder of LB3 Lacrosse Camps and Head of Sports Marketing in the Southeast for Warrior and Brine Lacrosse. Liam has recently relocated to the Peachtree City area. When asked why he relocated here, “An important factor was the commitment to the growth of lacrosse in Fayette County…I knew how good the schools were and I also knew that lacrosse would be a contributing factor for student athletes to attend strong universities.”
In an era when the addition of new collegiate sports is rare, lacrosse is the exception to the rule. According to US Lacrosse, from 1999 to 2009, the number of varsity college lacrosse programs grew from 410 to 557. Mercer University will have the first Division I Men’s program in Georgia in 2011 with a Women’s Division I program in 2012. Georgia State University will have a Division I Women’s program in 2011. Agnes Scott and LaGrange Colleges are fielding NCAA teams this year. Oglethorpe University, Berry, Piedmont and Shorter colleges are also adding teams in the coming years. Reinhardt College, Kennesaw State, Emory, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia and Georgia Tech all field club teams. These colleges’ decision to add lacrosse has been in response to the games growing popularity in Georgia and the Southeast.
Parents take note - lacrosse has another potential benefit. In a 2009 NCAA report, Division I men’s and women’s lacrosse had two of the highest Academic Progress Rates among all sports (APR is the assessment of a collegiate teams' academic performance).
So, if you are new to the sport, a seasoned player, or just want to enjoy watching the fastest game on two feet, then here are some opportunities:
Syracuse University Lacrosse, defending National Champions, is coming to Peachtree City on June 9-11. Coach Desko and his coaching staff will be conducting a lacrosse camp at Meade Fields for both boys and girls ages 7-18. Kelly Lickert, All-American Attack from Limestone College will also be instructing the girls. For more information on the camp go to www.ptclax.com.
Peachtree City will again be hosting the Southern Alliance Tournament on June 5-6 at the Baseball Soccer Complex. This is a girls’ HS elite level tournament featuring teams from all over the southeast competing in front of recruiting college coaches.
If you can’t make those dates, stop by Meade Fields - Home of the PTC Warriors - on any remaining weekend through May 1st. Bring a chair and enjoy a game.
Registration for Peachtree City Lacrosse’s fall season opens July 1st on their website at www.ptclax.com. If you would like more information about the PTC Lacrosse league, email info@ptclax.com.
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