The Historical Roots of Lacrosse

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The history of Lacrosse is colorful, a version of the game was played by Native American tribal groups mainly in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence valley region over 350 years ago. This was developed as a recreational activity but it was also used to settle land disputes between tribes of the Iroquois nation.

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The various versions of the history of lacrosse claim that a French priest, Jean de Brebeuf, named the game while watching Huron tribal members play 1636. He named it for jeu de la crosse, the French version of field hockey.

Like field hockey, the lively running game involves moving a ball across a field using a stick. The lacrosse stick actually has a netted head or spoon on the end of it. The original balls were wood or deerskin stuffed with hair and fur. Native players often carved the sticks with various tribal designs. The ball was to be passed from player to player without touching hands or the ground.

The game could be played for days between tribal groups with any number of men or it could be used as a training program for future warriors. It also had religious significance for some tribes. Lacrosse games also involved betting on which team would win.

The history of lacrosse includes La Crosse, Wisconsin, named by Zebulon Pike in 1805. The young Army officer observed a game in that area between Winnebago and Sioux tribesman.

Dr. William G. Beers, a Montreal dentist, established rules for lacrosse in 1867 when he founded the Montreal Lacrosse Club. The game was always popular with the British and French settlers. It became Canada’s national game in 1860 and even more popular in 1876 when Queen Victoria was impressed by an exhibition game in London.

The U.S. Amateur Lacrosse Association was formed in 1872 for games played between high schools and later universities. The NCAA has sponsored lacrosse championship games since 1971. The game has been played by women in the U.S. since the late 1800’s. A women’s team has 12 players on the field while a men’s team has 10 players.

US Lacrosse, founded in 1998, is the national governing body for the game training young male and female players and coaches through 67 chapters. The organization has created scholarships and clinics to encourage lacrosse players. The Lacrosse Museum and Hall of Fame is located in Baltimore, MD, the USL headquarters.

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