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Somers Lacrosse Association
The History of Field Lacrosse
With a history that spans centuries, lacrosse is the oldest sport in North America. The sport is rooted in Native American religion, and was often played to solve conflicts, heal the sick, and develop strong, virile men. To Native Americans, lacrosse is still referred to as "The Creator's Game".
Ironically, lacrosse also served as a 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 to Algonquians called baaga'adowe ("baag" means hit, a" means by an instrument, "adow" means ball, and "e" is an abstract ending to the word).
Contestants played on a field from one to fifteen 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.
The evolution of the Native American game into modem lacrosse began in 1636 when Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary, documented a Huron contest in what is now southeast Ontario, Canada.
At that time, some type of lacrosse was played by at least 48 Native American tribes scattered throughout what is now southern Canada and all parts of the United States.
French pioneers began playing the game avidly in the early 1800s. Canadian dentist W. George Beers standardized the game in 1867 with the adoption of the set field dimensions, limits to the number of players per team, and other basic rules.
New York University fielded the nation's first college team in 1877, and Philips Andover Academy (MA), Philips Exeter Academy (NH) and the Lawrenceville School (NJ) were the nations' first high school teams in 1882. There are currently over 500 college and 1400 high school lacrosse teams from coast to coast.
Men's and women's lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules, with no protective equipment, until the mid-1930's. At that time, men's lacrosse began evolving dramatically, while women's lacrosse continued to remain true to the game's original rules. Women's rules limit stick contact, prohibit body contact and, therefore, require little protective equipment. Men's lacrosse rules allow some degree of stick and body contact, although violence is neither condoned nor allowed.
Field lacrosse is sometimes perceived to be a violent and dangerous game, however, injury statistics prove otherwise. While serious injuries can and do occur in lacrosse, the game has evolved with an emphasis on safety, and the rate of injury is comparatively low.
Played by "boys" and "girls" who range in age from six to sixty, lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. In recent years, lacrosse has experienced unprecedented growth throughout the world.
A unique combination of speed, skill, agility, grace, endurance, finesse and historical significance, lacrosse may just be, according to basketball inventor James Naismith, "the best of all possible field games."
With a history that spans centuries, lacrosse is the oldest sport in North America. The sport is rooted in Native American religion, and was often played to solve conflicts, heal the sick, and develop strong, virile men. To Native Americans, lacrosse is still referred to as "The Creator's Game".
Ironically, lacrosse also served as a 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 to Algonquians called baaga'adowe ("baag" means hit, a" means by an instrument, "adow" means ball, and "e" is an abstract ending to the word).
Contestants played on a field from one to fifteen 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.
The evolution of the Native American game into modem lacrosse began in 1636 when Jean de Brebeuf, a Jesuit missionary, documented a Huron contest in what is now southeast Ontario, Canada.
At that time, some type of lacrosse was played by at least 48 Native American tribes scattered throughout what is now southern Canada and all parts of the United States.
French pioneers began playing the game avidly in the early 1800s. Canadian dentist W. George Beers standardized the game in 1867 with the adoption of the set field dimensions, limits to the number of players per team, and other basic rules.
New York University fielded the nation's first college team in 1877, and Philips Andover Academy (MA), Philips Exeter Academy (NH) and the Lawrenceville School (NJ) were the nations' first high school teams in 1882. There are currently over 500 college and 1400 high school lacrosse teams from coast to coast.
Men's and women's lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules, with no protective equipment, until the mid-1930's. At that time, men's lacrosse began evolving dramatically, while women's lacrosse continued to remain true to the game's original rules. Women's rules limit stick contact, prohibit body contact and, therefore, require little protective equipment. Men's lacrosse rules allow some degree of stick and body contact, although violence is neither condoned nor allowed.
Field lacrosse is sometimes perceived to be a violent and dangerous game, however, injury statistics prove otherwise. While serious injuries can and do occur in lacrosse, the game has evolved with an emphasis on safety, and the rate of injury is comparatively low.
Played by "boys" and "girls" who range in age from six to sixty, lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. In recent years, lacrosse has experienced unprecedented growth throughout the world.
A unique combination of speed, skill, agility, grace, endurance, finesse and historical significance, lacrosse may just be, according to basketball inventor James Naismith, "the best of all possible field games."