 |
||
|
|
The
Need for Speed Can you guess which North American sport is oldest? Maybe soccer, football, or basketball? If you answered none of these, you’re right! It’s lacrosse, and American Indians played it long before Columbus discovered America. While lacrosse may be one of the oldest sports, it’s actually played like a combination of several more modern sports—especially basketball, soccer, and hockey. Set on a grassy field slightly longer than a football field, lacrosse players use a stick—the crosse—with a net on one end to throw or catch the ball.
Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. Youth membership (ages 15 and under) in organizations such as US Lacrosse has more than tripled since 1999 to nearly 100,000. “I like the teamwork, and you can get kind of aggressive, too,” says Ronny, 13, of Michigan. His friend, Steve, likes the speed. “You have to run and cut and turn quick. Every game is different.” Thanks to new leagues and non-stop action, no sport has grown faster at the high school level over the last 10 years. In fact, there are now more than 130,000 high school players! And lacrosse isn’t just for guys. Girls play too! Rules for girls are different than for the boys, though. The game isn’t as rough because no body contact is allowed. But girls’ games are just as fast-paced and exciting. What’s the Scoop? Just like golf or hockey, lacrosse comes with its own set of terms. For instance, poke checking refers to knocking the ball from another player’s stick. Body checking refers to bumping into an opponent who has the ball. Ouch! And when using your stick to pick up a ball from the ground? That’s “the scoop!”
|
|
Game
On
