Everyone always thinks of baseball as the all-American sport. What very few people know is that lacrosse was most likely America's first sport. Lacrosse, a native-American sport, was actually first used as preparation for war.
"Legend tells of as many as 1,000 players per side, from the same or different tribes, who took turns engaging in a violent contest. Contestants played on a field from one to 15 miles in length, and games sometimes lasted for days. Some tribes used a single pole, tree or rock for a goal, while other tribes had two goalposts through which the ball had to pass. Balls were made out of wood, deerskin, baked clay or stone."
Only after a Jesuit missionary in 1636 documented the Huron tribe playing lacrosse, did Canada and the US pick it up. And two hundred and some odd years later, lacrosse was being played at colleges and universities up and down the east coast. And to this day, it is still making its way across the U.S. to the west coast.
"New York University fielded the nation's first college team in 1877, and Philips Academy, Andover (Massachusetts), Philips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire) and the Lawrenceville School (New Jersey) were the nation's first high school teams in 1882.
The first women's lacrosse game was played in 1890 at the St. Leonard's School in Scotland. Although an attempt was made to start women's lacrosse at Sweet Briar College in Virginia in 1914, it was not until 1926 that Miss Rosabelle Sinclair established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland."
What is most fascinating is that until the mid-1930s, men and women played by virtually the same rules. Can you imagine that today? I don't think that I, at 5 foot 4 would have been asked to play a sport of such roughness, or would have lasted that long playing it. On second thought, bring it on.
So why bring this all up??? Well, it just blows me away that lacrosse is in a way becoming the all-American sport. Players play for fun, for competition, and for the love of the game. They don't play for money. And, it is bringing together dads and sons, moms and daughter's all across the U.S.
This weekend, thousands gather for the NCAA men's lacrosse championship in Philadelphia, PA at Lincoln Financial field. I will be there, along with my husband, college friends, sisters, brother, dad, and mom. Yes!!! The whole entire family. We are all coming together to watch this spectacular game.
The sport of lacrosse has had an impact on both my husband and I. We both played it growing up, in highschool, and then in college...Becoming captains of our teams. While we were dating during college most of our conversations revolved around lacrosse specifically, how we played, team politics, and obnoxious coaches.
Lacrosse also brings something bigger, it brings association, friends, and networks. The world of lacrosse is still small that once inside you have a lot more acquaintances and contacts than you would have first thought. I still haven't fleshed this all out, but I believe the lacrosse community is unique.
3 comments:
You're right - there is nothing like lacrosse! Have tons of fun this weekend!
All this lacrosse talk makes me wish I didn't avoid the sport with a passion throughout high school. I guess that was the only way I could rebel against my family without being ... well... sinful. Although I am sure our brothers would consider that a sin nonetheless.
What do you mean your entire family? Have a great time, wish we could be there.
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