When most people think of the fastest growing sport in the United States they would think of football or basketball however that is way off. Even though those are the most popular sports they are not the fastest growing, the fastest growing sport in the United States is Lacrosse. From 2002 to 20012 lacrosse participation went up 218.1 percent and in 2013 746,859 players competed on organized lacrosse teams (Rovell)(Smith). According to Mo Rocca lacrosse went from America’s oldest team sport to its fastest growing team sport (Rocca). In 2016 the Lacrosse Sports Network (LSN) launched giving lacrosse total coverage through college, professional, and international (“2016 Participation Survey”). In 2004 Norm Webb, a lacrosse great from West Point …show more content…
passed away and he decided to leave his 4.5 million dollar estate to US Lacrosse (Wolff). US Lacrosse is the national organization that records all data for lacrosse and watches over all lacrosse in the United States. US Lacrosse decided to use all of that money to expand their organization and all of lacrosse in the united states (Wolff). Along with promoting the Game US Lacrosse provides opportunities for disabled and mentally challenged people to play the game of lacrosse. The three factors that make lacrosse the fastest growing sport in the United States are the youth/high school participation, the opportunities offered to everyone, and the post collegiate level of play. The sport of lacrosse is heavily populated by youth players. From 2006 to 20016 the amount of youth lacrosse players went from 220,797 to 454,527 players which was the first time youth lacrosse players topped 450,000 (“2016 Participation Survey”). In 2016 a total of eight states had at least ten thousand youth participants in lacrosse: Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia (“2016 Participation Survey”). US Lacrosse is working to serve youth lacrosse heavily by helping out 90,000 members across the country with 45 regional chapters (Logue). Even the National Recreation and Park Association is getting involved with promoting lacrosse for youth athletes (Logue). Youth lacrosse is a big part of the sport and lacrosse would not be where it is today without the youth players. One of the biggest reasons lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the United States is that many youth athletes switch to lacrosse every year or they add it to their line of sports. In an interview with lacrosse legend Jim Brown by CBS Brown said that more and more kids switch to lacrosse every year because of the “speed and combination of strength and power and skill” (Rocca). Another reason why kids switch to lacrosse or make it one of their sports is that lacrosse coaches encourage their kids to play many sports instead of them forcing lacrosse on them (Wolff). Often you hear lacrosse coaches saying that other sports help them with their skill in lacrosse (Wolff). The game of lacrosse really interests youth athletes because of its fast paced action that traces back to its roots with the Native Americans (Logue). Sometimes youth athletes start playing lacrosse because of their parents input and the kids input on their parents. Many parents discover that lacrosse is more exciting than soccer, cheaper than ice hockey, and not as dangerous as football (Wolff). Many parents believe that lacrosse might be a better option. Often youth athletes quit sports because their parents are either too harsh after games or they yell too much on the sideline. Parents don’t yell as much because often they don’t really understand what is happening according to David Morrow, a former U.S. national team player (Wolff). In many high schools across the United States lacrosse is being added as a school sport for boys and for girls. Boys lacrosse in high schools in the United States saw a 27.8 percent growth from 2009 to 2014 while girls lacrosse saw a 31.2 percent growth from 2009 to 2014 (Rattey). While lacrosse was growing insanely in high schools no other sport even cracked ten percent growth for boys or girls (Rattey). In 2000 only 43 lacrosse teams at the youth, junior high, and high school level existed in Washington State but by 2005 99 teams existed (Wolff). In 2004 12,000 people showed up at Seattle Qwest Field for the boys and girls high school state championship games and a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) exhibition game (Wolff). In 2016 Illinois voted to become the twenty first state to sponsor lacrosse as a high school sport and in 2017 Utah voted to become the twenty second state to sponsor lacrosse as a high school sport (“2016 Participation Survey”). By 2016 high school lacrosse players topped 315,00 (“2016 Participation Survey”). There is a big idea going around that lacrosse is a rich person’s sport however the Urban Lacrosse Alliance (ULA) proves that wrong. The ULA gives qualified people the ability to help their lacrosse community by aiding their unique needs (“Diversity and Inclusion’’). US Lacrosse has a goal to keep poorer lacrosse programs that follow US Lacrosse standards from stopping because of money issues through the ULA (“Diversity and Inclusion”). With the ULA poorer lacrosse programs can stay alive because US Lacrosse helps provide the resources necessary for them to keep going (“Diversity and Inclusion”). Also with the ULA, US Lacrosse can establish relationships with organizations to increase the amount of opportunities for urban youth lacrosse (“Diversity and Inclusion”). Now basically anyone can play lacrosse because of the Adaptive Lacrosse Program and Wheelchair Lacrosse USA (WLUSA).
Adaptive Lacrosse is a program that helps athletes with either physical or intellectual disabilities play the sport of lacrosse (“Diversity and Inclusion”). The disabled athletes who are part of Adaptive Lacrosse still have almost the same conditioning and training as non-disabled to keep them involved, however a few modifications are added to the program (“Diversity and Inclusion”). WLUSA is the leader of all the wheelchair lacrosse groups in the United States and it helps physically challenged athletes get involved with lacrosse (“Diversity and Inclusion”). WLUSA has helped create over twelve organizations for wheelchair lacrosse and physically challenged athletes across the United States (“Diversity and Inclusion”). Ryan Baker, who is the co-founder of WLUSA said that they have tried to bring the field lacrosse game to wheelchairs as best as possible (Berman). Even veterans enjoy wheelchair lacrosse because it does not just provide physical activities for the veterans but it gives the veterans an outlet …show more content…
(Berman). After college lacrosse players don’t have to stop playing the sport because there are many post collegiate opportunities. For men there are more than twelve club lacrosse leagues that mainly play throughout spring and summer that they could choose to play in after college (“2016 Participation Survey”). The biggest adult male club lacrosse league in the United States is the American Lacrosse League which is comprised of around thirty teams on the East Coast (“2016 Participation Survey”). Although these men do not make any money from club lacrosse they have a drive to keep playing the sport that they love. Every year more and more players coming out of college who cannot play professionally join these club lacrosse leagues and this year the total amount of male lacrosse players went over 500,000 (“2016 Participation Survey”). However for the men who do make it to Major League Lacrosse (MLL) or National League Lacrosse (NLL), which is indoor their league keeps expanding year after year. In 2016 the MLL expanded to Atlanta after the MLL had to take away the Atlanta team during the recession (“2016 Participation Survey”). Also the NLL expanded to atlanta for their indoor league which happens to be a little more popular than the MLL because many of their games are actually televised. For the MLL team their name is the Atlanta Blaze and the NLL team name is the Georgia Swarm (“2016 Participation Survey”). As of now the MLL currently holds nine teams across the country, however the league hopes to expand to sixteen teams by 2026 (Rattey). One of the most popular teams in the MLL, the Boston Cannons talked to their players and most of them said that they still have full time jobs to support their careers in the MLL (Rattey). Many of the players also agree that it’s the drive of the game that helps them “see the forest through the trees” (Rattey). For women there are also many post collegiate opportunities either playing for club lacrosse teams or the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL).
For the women’s club leagues there are over one hundred organized teams across the country and they can play in local or regional competition (“2016 Participation Survey”). The WPLL provides an opportunity for women to play professionally as men do. Of course the women also have to have full time jobs just as professional men’s players do and just as the men the drive of the game keeps them going (“Women’s Professional Lacrosse”). The WPLL’s founder Michele DeJuliis said, “The WPLL will continue to push boundaries and innovate the way the game is played. Providing an opportunity for players to freely showcase their expert talent, while also connecting them with our future generation of players in a meaningful way on and off of the field, is the very foundation of the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League,” (“Women’s Professional Lacrosse”). The WPLL is set to launch on June 1st, 2018 which will finally give women the opportunity to play the sport they love professionally (“Women’s Professional
Lacrosse”). Through the youth/high school participation, the inclusive opportunities, and the post collegiate opportunities lacrosse becomes the fastest growing sport in the United States. Just in New York there were 60,000 youth participants in 2016 mainly from Long Island (“2016 Participation Survey”). In 2016, Hampton University began Division One play in lacrosse which made them the first ever historically African American college to play Division One lacrosse (“2016 Participation Survey”). Every year WLUSA helps more and more physically disabled athletes get involved in lacrosse and help them get the exercise they need (Berman). For lacrosse players after college there are three professional leagues: the NLL, the MLL, and the WPLL for women (“Women’s Professional Lacrosse”). For those who are not good enough to play pro they can play in club lacrosse leagues for both men and women (“2016 Participation Survey”).
Helmet or no helmet? This controversial issue for girls lacrosse has been growing stronger each year. If you have ever seen men's lacrosse their uniforms are almost identical to a football player. While women only wear goggles and a mouth guard. So why why is this such a controversial issue? Shouldn’t women want to wear helmets for protection? There is a lot of evidence to review on the topic. In the articles titled, “A Case Against Helmets in Lacrosse.” by Alan Schwarz, the non-fiction piece titled “Headgear Rule for Girls” by Bill Pennington, another article named, “Helmets In Lacrosse” by Krystina Lucid, and “How Women's Field Lacrosse Differs from Men's Field Lacrosse” by James Hinkson and Joe Lombardi. Girls lacrosse should not wear more head gear/ a helmet because if they are protected they feel they can play a more aggressive game, the rules in girls lacrosse do not allow any
Lacrosse is a sport that was created by the Native Americans around the 1600s (5). The sport once known as stick ball to the Indians has evolved to a major sport across the world. Lacrosse was a sport that was a real major part of European culture before it made its way to America. It has just recently been picked up in the major ranks of colleges and even a professional level. So with the rise of this sport comes the rise of the preparatory phases to get ready for competition.
The MLL stands for Major League Lacrosse. It’s what follows after college, same as the NFL, MLB, NBA, etc. The difference between the MLL and those big professional sports is that MLL players average salary is between $10,000 and $30,000 (Forbes). The other salaries all are over one million dollars for the average (Forbes/Wikipeida). People of course will be more familiar with basketball, baseball, or football. Lacrosse though, should be praised as much as those sports. That’s because MLL players don’t practice as much as the other sports but still compete at a very high skill level, the players have a burning passion for the sport, and the players have to be able to create chemistry with their players in one practice.
Every time I play lacrosse I feel like I am a part of something greater than myself. Being a part of something greater than myself, being changed in my life forever has made me think and feel whenever I play lacrosse. When I was younger playing lacrosse was a learning experience. Playing with more skilled or less skilled girls in lacrosse and playing different positions except for one every game, practice and scrimmage all the time makes me get a different perspective. Playing lacrosse for quick sticks has changed my life forever.
Both Lacrosse and Ice hockey are two sports that share similar aspects. One example would be that they both require plenty of athletic prowess, as well as countless hours of training and practice to master. The high amount of contact in both sports enables a player to become both physically and mentally “tough”. Lacrosse has grown to its highest level of popularity it has ever reached over the last ten years. Ice hockey has seen a steady climb in its popularity over the past 25 years making it one of the most popular sports in not only Long Island, but all across the U.S. However, there are many differences as well, and we should not overlook the fact that there are plenty of distinctions between the two great sports. Many of which are the main reasons that these are obviously two separate sports.
Lacrosse is a fast-growing American high school sport and becoming very successful within the past few decades, so it’s important to analyze how lacrosse has gotten to where it is today and what impacted the spread. The research question is: How has lacrosse changed over the years, and what impacted the spread? Research shows that lacrosse is becoming more popular every year, and many more people are becoming aware of this sport so the history behind what is known as ‘America’s first sport’ should be known. According to the National Federation of State High School, between 2009 and 2013, participation between high school boys and girls has increased for a total of 34%. Today, over 1400 high schools in the US include
Participation in sports and games has long been a part of Native culture. The most significant example of a sport invented and played by Natives is lacrosse. Lacrosse is still designated as the official sport of Canada despite the overwhelming popularity of hockey (http://canada.gc.ca). Lacrosse was one of many varieties of indigenous stickball games being played by Native Americans and Canadians at the time of European contact. Almost exclusively a male team sport, it is distinguished from other stick and ball games, such as field hockey or shinny, by the use of a netted racquet with which to pick the ball off the ground, throw, catch and vault it into or past a goal to score a point.
The lacrosse players would go up to each other and smack at each other’s sticks trying to dislodge the ball. The French named the game lacrosse which means the game of the stick. Sometimes a player would hit an opposing team’s player, severely injuring the person or breaking bones. There is even one account of a player dying. Anthony Aveni an editor for History.org says, “It is quite common to see someone crippled for the rest of his life who would not have had this misfortune but for his own obstinacy” (paragraph 9). The Indians did not have a goal so they used landmarks such as rocks and trees for a goal. Jane Claydon, an editor for Federation of International Lacrosse claims, “Some estimates have mentioned between one hundred and one hundred thousand players…. On the field at one time” (paragraph 2). There are tons of players. The fields were very extreme ranging anywhere from nine hundred yards to nine miles in length. Players at one end could not see the ball at the other end. The game would last from sun up to sun down many
Spring is a great time to get started in Lacrosse. It is a sport that is rapidly growing through the U.S., mainly in the east, but catching on everywhere. It is much different than anything you have seen with a combination of hockey, football, and soccer. You’ve got to try this one-of -a-kind sport, but first you must know the basics, checking, history and the continuous rules and penalties.
Lacrosse is the oldest team sport in North America, having been played by Native American tribes long before any European had even set foot on the continent. A century after European missionaries discovered the game played by Native Americans, they began to play it themselves, starting in the 18th century. From there, it evolved and grew in popularity from a very savage game that resembled war, into what it is today, a recreational sport played widely in America and other countries. As U.S. Lacrosse literature aptly puts it, “Lacrosse is a game born of the North American Indian, christened by the French, adopted and raised by the Canadians, and later dominated by the Americans.” When the first people of America started playing lacrosse centuries ago, the game served many purposes.
Softball has been played for some time now, by many people and by different countries . In fact softball was a creation by a man that also helped give people the idea of baseball as well. Till this very day softball has been apart of the olympics since the early 1990’s . When trying to get softball into the olympics wasn’t as easy as getting baseball into the olympics. The new candidates for the new Olympic softball team can easily help get them back in the game, and maybe make history.
Soccer and lacrosse are obviously two different sports , but in a way they are both very similar to each other. Similarly, they both use a ball for their main part of the game.They use the ball to bring it down the field and a try to score on the opposing team. Another similarity is that they both have goalkeepers to help protect the ball from not going in on the team's side. They both stand in their goal box and they are able to bring it down field if they want. In addition, they use nets on the back of the goalkeepers with bars that show how big the goal is and so the ball doesn't fly out of the field when the team scores.Another example of a similarity between soccer and lacrosse is that they both involve a lot of running. For both sports midfield is the position where you have to run
...participation levels and interest levels in women's sports at all levels. One big women's sport that is well known worldwide now and is a leader for Title lX is the US Women's Soccer team who has won previous World Cups Titles and has been a firm demander and supporter of what Title lX has done and will continue to do. Years ago no one even cared about women's sports and what it takes for a woman to be accepted in the sporting world and not be called a tom-boy. It takes determination and hard work, much more of say the average male athlete. Even though men are taking hits throughout the years for equality, women are taking strides towards equality and are looking towards the future or their sports and their games.
Men’s lacrosse, as a goalie, and physics are tied together in many ways. You can explain the effectiveness of a pass, all the way down to picking up the ball from the ground. The main topics that explain the game of lacrosse are all three of Newton’s Laws of Motion; Inertia, Force equals mass times acceleration, and equal and opposite forces, and another law that applies, torque and leverage.
Sports psychology is the study of how psychology influences sports, athletic performance, exercise and physical activity. Some sports psychologists work with professional athletes and coaches to improve performance and increase motivation. Other professionals use exercise and sports to enhance people’s lives and well-being. While finding ways to help athletes is certainly an important part of sports psychology, the application of exercise and physical activity for improving the lives of non-athletes is also a major focus.