Why a blog about girl's lacrosse?

It’s almost lacrosse season again (despite the fresh-fallen snow on the ground)! I’ve launched this blog because, as a youth coach, I get a lot of questions for parents on everything from available clubs and clinics to the rules of the game. 

I’ve coached with the Belmont, MA, girls youth lacrosse town league since 2005. I watched (and coached) my daughter play youth lacrosse for 3 years and then move up to the Belmont high school team, where not only did she learn a lot, but I did, too!

Belmont Youth Lacrosse is a member of the Mass Bay Girls Lacrosse League (MBGLL) a 10-year old league that was created to manage the growing sport of lacrosse in Massachusetts.

Lacrosse has been a major sport in many parts of the country for years and years—Maryland and eastern seaboard states in particular come to mind. Here in New England it was primarily private schools that played the game. When I played in college in Ohio, we had a team that did very well in the Ohio college league. For two of my years there we were state Division III champions and would head off to Maryland for the national D-III championship tournament—and then get crushed every game. Those Maryland girls were serious! (Denison’s team… not so much!)

Anyway, in eastern Massachusetts in 2011, the MBGLL is the primary girls’ youth league (though 2 years ago a few towns split off to form their own, more competitive league. This year more towns have joined them, saying that they wanted to play with other teams in their MIAA high school league). I also sit on the MBGLL board.

There are also many club teams that provide more competitive and focused practice—for a price. If your daughter loves the sport and wants to take her game up to a higher level, clubs provide that option.

In Belmont, our youth season begins this Tuesday, March 1, with a parents' meeting at the Burbank School. In this blog, I will share what's going on with the girls' youth teams in Belmont, what I’ve learned about the game, town youth leagues, high school play, as well as clubs and camps.