As the fastest growing sport across the country, with the most growth in the Northwest, lacrosse continues to gain popularity as an alternative spring sport.
Though games don't start until February and March, registration for the Queen Anne Lacrosse Club and Queen Anne Quick Styx already started, and registration for the Magnolia United Lacrosse Association starts this week.
When the QA Lacrosse Club started eight years ago there was only a handful of youth teams in Washington, and now there's about 160 teams throughout the state.
The QA Lacrosse Club has one team of up to 24 players for each group - third/fourth, fifth/sixth and seventh/eighth.
QA Quick Styx, a lacrosse club for girls, has one team each for fifth/sixth and seventh/eighth grade levels.
QA Lacrosse Club registration for fifth/sixth and seventh/eight costs $150 and $100 for the third/fourth team. Registration for Quick Styx costs $150 for both teams. Registration forms can be found at their Web sites, qalacrosse.org and eteamz.com/QueenAnneQuickStyx, respectively.
The Magnolia United Lacrosse Association, which started just two years ago, has also gained popularity with rosters of 24 filling up quickly. The MULA does not give preference to returning players.
"We've doubled in size," said co-founder Ted Gray. "We're really ramping up the program this year."
In addition to the club's U11 and U13 teams, MULA will be introducing a U15 team this year. Open registration will be available through Jan. 8 for MULA initially, and then until March if spots are still open. For the U11 team registration costs $175 and for the other teams the cost is $225.
MULA will also have its third annual open clinic tomorrow, Nov.19, to introduce youth to the sport with hands-on demonstrations from college-level and professional players. The clinic is free and runs from 6-8 p.m. at the Magnolia Community Center.
"Lacrosse is a unique sport that combines the field speed of soccer, some of the contact elements of football and some of the hand/eye coordination components of hockey," Gray said. "So if you really want to see athletes test themselves there is no better proving ground I believe than to have them learn to play lacrosse."
MULA also has co-ed teams, and like the other clubs, encourages beginning players with little or no experience to sign up. And MULA follows the teachings of the Positive Coaching Alliance as well.
"The PCA teaches us that if you take the kids off the scoreboard and have them focus on mastery of tasks the scoreboard will take care of itself," Gray said. '"Our job as coaches is to keep the game fun so they stay engaged. It's not hat we give up a competitive edge to be positive. It's that the expectations remain high for effort and execution but there are certain criteria of conduct for coaches, kids and parents."
Volunteers run each of the leagues, from the coaches to the referees. Each league also has some financial aid or scholarship money available to help with registration costs.[[In-content Ad]]
