[Guest Post by the Mt. Si Lacrosse Club]
The only consistency we have right now is that we have so much inconsistency and so much that is unknown.
It’s been a struggle for so many people and businesses and organizations locally and across the globe. From workplaces to schools to our favorite places to socialize, things are shut down, and those that remain open aren’t quite what they used to be. As adults, we struggle to make sense of it and do our best to adapt and overcome as new roadblocks or changes come our way. As parents, we know that our children are feeling the same stresses. None of us went through what our kids were going through when we were their age, and while we can empathize with their plight, we can only imagine what they are going through.
After a year of relative inaction or low levels of activity, the thought of getting back out there with any sport can be a daunting one. There is the concern of being too out of shape, being rusty, or unsure if they can count on practices and games actually taking place, not wanting to be let down again. Sometimes, though, it might be those things that help us bring some normalcy back. We can’t look at the large organizations such as cities or school districts to move quickly or adapt in a more agile manner when it comes to changes. It may be those smaller organizations and groups that have the ability to start the ball of normal rolling again.
Locally, there are several options for kids to get out of the house and find human connections safely and productively. One of those options is the Mount Si Lacrosse Club(MSLC). The MSLC is a local community lacrosse club that features boys’ and girls’ programs from 2nd grade all the way through High School. While Lacrosse is not a fully sanctioned sport by the WIAA (yet), we have seen a significant increase in its popularity at the local, collegiate, and even professional levels.
Some key aspects of the sport of Lacrosse:
Best of Many Worlds: While many sports have comparisons in play and fitness to a couple of sports, Lacrosse is a combination of many sports; field hockey, soccer, rugby, basketball, ice hockey, and even football. As a sport on its own or as a companion sport, Lacrosse will help your player improve at all of them and get in great physical shape.
Safety: While any sport has an inherent risk of injury, Lacrosse has consistently fewer injuries than soccer, hockey and considerably less than other contact sports like rugby or football. US Lacrosse https://www.uslacrosse.org/ is the national governing body of Lacrosse and is a consistent thought and action leader for sports safety across all sports.
Teamwork: Any team sport has the benefit of building teamwork and inclusion and Lacrosse is no different. Players learn how to communicate effectively and work together. The concept of teamwork on the lacrosse field translates to improved communication, personal accountability, and strong interpersonal relationships.
Size does not matter: Anyone can play Lacrosse. It is a game about stick skills, footwork, and understanding the game. Great Lacrosse players come in all shapes and sizes. While it has a bit of a learning curve with the stick skills, the rewards the players get when they master it are unparalleled.
Fun: As a relatively newer sport, especially on the West Coast, there is a great Lacrosse community where the commonality of being a player or coach provides a great experience. Whether it be the Honor the Game ceremony after a game or a Winter tournament in a sunny locale, Lacrosse has opportunities for everyone to enjoy their time on and off the field.
Why Mount Si Lacrosse Club?
- If you live in the Snoqualmie Valley, the Mount Si Lacrosse Club is your home club.
- The club has over a decade of experience providing the best environment for our players and coaches, including a large proportion of Level 1 and Level 2 nationally certified coaches at the youth and high school levels.
- It is a great way to get to know other players and parents in the area through practices, games, and annual events hosted by the club—plenty of opportunities to be involved in our organization.
- We love to have fun, and we love to be competitive. Our HS and Youth teams are consistently ranked and are always competitive in local games and tournaments.
- Our youth programs start at 2nd Grade and go through 8th Grade.
- We have development teams and clinics for all ages (1st through 8thgrades) throughout the year.
- Our teams practice locally in the Snoqualmie Valley. We have a variety of field options, including grass and turf fields, to give our players the experience to play anywhere.
Lacrosse, by nature, is a socially distancing friendly sport. While there is a degree of contact, players don’t share equipment, and the ball isn’t touched directly by any of the players. On top of that, the MSLC has gone to great lengths to ensure that all the recommended protocols and guidelines are in place and adhered to.
At the end of the day, Spring is coming, and we need to get our kids out there being active and having positive human interaction. There may be several of us that have to push the issue. Our kids have gotten used to the inactivity and may not have the motivation they had in years past and get them back into some activities. Fresh air, some exercise, and positive team interaction may well be the thing that gets our local youth out of the pandemic doldrums. Every sport will experience some challenges this season which makes it a great time to pick up a stick for the first time or blow the dust off the one that hasn’t been used in a while and get out and play.
The youth boy teams have recently started practicing and the girl teams kick off next week. Mount SI Lacrosse Club registration is now open for all ages and is looking for players who are up for the challenge and the opportunity to get out and play. It’s never too late to join, so come and join Mount Si Lacrosse Club today!!!
https://www.mountsilacrosse.org/page/show/6061609-registration
Lacrosse is known as the fastest game on two feet and is the oldest organized sport in North America. Lacrosse originated as a tribal game played by indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands throughout North America. In the traditional aboriginal Canadian version of lacrosse, each team consisted of about 100 to 1,000 men on a field several miles long. These games lasted from sunup to sundown for two to three days straight and were played as part of ceremonial ritual, a kind of symbolic warfare, or to give thanks to the Creator or Master. Lacrosse was referred to as “The Creators Game.”
Today, modern lacrosse is an exciting, fast paced, and high scoring competitive sport. Lacrosse combines aspects of other sports such as basketball, football, soccer, and hockey. Players use the head of the lacrosse stick to carry, pass, catch, and shoot the ball into the goal. Players need to develop their running endurance/speed, strength, eye-hand coordination for stick handing skills, and lacrosse IQ to successfully play the game. Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing team sports among NFHS sports.
Lacrosse was originally introduced to the Snoqualmie Valley through youth lacrosse clinics offered through Si View Community Center in 2008. Si View Community Center (SVCC) recognized that lacrosse was an exciting, up and coming sport which would bring a quality youth sports experience to community. The clinics at SVCC were extremely popular and the community showed interest in starting a lacrosse program in The Valley. In 2009, Issaquah Youth Lacrosse (IYL) embraced their neighboring community and allowed Snoqualmie Valley players to registered thru IYL onto two Snoqualmie Valley Youth Lacrosse teams for 5/6 and 7/8 grade. After the season, IYL gave back funding to help create Mount Si Lacrosse Club as a Non-profit org in 2010 to support youth and high school lacrosse.
Today there are approximately 300 youth playing lacrosse in Snoqualmie Valley and it a thriving competitive sport played across Youth (K-8th grade) and at Mount Si High School for both Boys and Girls. The Mount Si Lacrosse Club promotes the development of and passion for boys’ and girls’ lacrosse in the Snoqualmie Valley. The Mount Si Lacrosse Club is committed to providing a safe and positive environment for all our athletes. Our core values include character, community, and sportsmanship.
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