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PrintCOLUMBIA — Local residents have formed a lacrosse league to introduce children to the sport earlier.
Parents, high school lacrosse players, Columbia Parks & Recreation and MU Lacrosse Coach Keith Euker have teamed up with the support of local Play It Again Sports to form the Mid Missouri Lacrosse League.
The season will run from April through late June with practices and games on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The league is open to boys and girls in grades 5-8.
For more than 10 years, lacrosse has struggled in Columbia because it is a club sport and does not receive funding from the high schools, according to a news release.
Furthermore, the existing high school-aged club teams face stiff competition from their opponents from St. Louis and Kansas City, whose students have been playing the sport longer.
The goal of the Mid Missouri Lacrosse League is to introduce the sport to children at a younger age and hopefully increase the popularity of the sport in Columbia, providing high school rosters with more skilled players.
Registration for players is now open. Registration Forms are available at the Columbia Parks & Recreation office, Play It Again Sports or can be downloaded at youth.columbialax.org. Volunteer opportunities are also available for team parents, coaches and referees.
For more information, contact Stacey Tonyan, President Mid Missouri Lacrosse League by e-mail at: tonyans@missouri.edu or calling 573-289-1490.
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Comments
This is a very neat development for Columbia. Lacrosse is a great game and the athletes that play it are incredible. I'm curious about something: does the league plan on having boys and girls on the same team? If so, how will the rules be modify for this situation? Checking is a big part of the male game but not allowed for females (which I think is a dump rule.) Just wondering how this will work. I look forward to watching the games.
@ Karen Mitchel: Boys and girls will be on different teams. There are too many different rules and equipment requirements between boys and girls play. We look forward to seeing you out there this Spring. If you have lacrosse experience, MMLL has volunteer opportunities available.
How do we volunteer and we have used equipment that we would donate.