Face-offs, groundballs, riding, attack. Those familiar with lacrosse understand these terms in describing the game’s fast-paced action. Arizona’s original lacrosse league, the Arizona Youth Lacrosse League (www.azlax.com), dates back to 1996. This coming season there will be 49 high school and 25 middle school lacrosse teams participating in this sport that many liken to a hybrid of soccer, football, hockey, and basketball.

Phoenix Patriots Lacrosse Club, established in 2007, will enter the 2010 season in the boys middle school division where sixth through eighth-grade student athletes participate. Under the leadership of Coach James Fishman, the Patriots roster has 26 players this coming season, many of them joining the team as sixth graders in the inaugural season.

 

Central Phoenix boundaries allow recruitment from a number of schools with the majority of players coming from Madison Meadows, All Saints, and St. Francis Xavier. Recruiting new players is always a priority and there are numerous opportunities to take up the sport.

    Those interested in learning more about the “fastest game on two feet” are encouraged to visit the Patriot’s Web site www.PhxPatriotsLax.com and come out to home games played at Grand Canyon University’s fields.