The Reach of the Creator's Game

             As much as I absolutely love the game of lacrosse and as with as many things there are to love about lacrosse, there is one big problem I see with the sport. The big problem I see is the societal reach of the sport. It is one of the fastest growing sports in the world right now, however I do not believe that the community as a whole is doing enough or putting in enough effort to grow the game everywhere. More advertisement for the sport is needed to make it a sport as popular and as loved as football, basketball, or baseball. 

            Right now, I only see lacrosse being advertised and spread around higher income areas. It should be worked on to expand this advertisement to every area in order for the sport to reach its maximum potential. Lacrosse is a pretty expensive sport to play, however there are many ways around this. 

            There are a number of discount websites and stores for lacrosse equipment. One website me and my teammates and friends would often look to in order to find more equipment was a website called sidelinesawap.com. What this site does is allow players and coaches of a variety of sports to put their used gear into a virtual marketplace on the web for others to purchase. The prices of the products on this website are significantly cheaper than the prices of the same new products. This is a site we often referred our friends to that just started playing and needed gear. Speaking for the lacrosse community as a whole, I believe it is safe to say that we all want to spread this sport we have grown to love so much. Most people start playing because a friend convinced or dragged them into it. Many of these people do not know whether they will for sure play or not, however they give it a try. People are not going to spend all this money on equipment just to try it out. So what do they do? Like many of my friends I have gotten to try out lacrosse, they borrow equipment from players that have been playing. Almost every player I have played with has had spare equipment and were willing to let people borrow it if they needed it. I have not only just let people borrow some of my equipment, I have straight up just given much of it away. The pieces of equipment I do not use anymore are exactly that, stuff I have no use for anymore. I would imagine many players with years worth of equipment feel the same way and have that same view on their past pieces of equipment. Another way one can be equipped to start playing lacrosse without breaking their bank is to buy beginner sets. Most lacrosse equipment companies sell cheaper, slightly lower quality, products specifically for players who are just getting into the sport. I think most lacrosse players have heard of the STX Amp lacrosse shaft. It was many players’, including me, first stick. It is significantly cheaper than most of the shafts STX has available to players. It is not sleek in appearance nor is very lightweight, however it is a durable and reliable stick for new players to use. 

            Another turn off about the advertising of lacrosse is that people who do not play think that it is a sport for only rich, white kids. This is very far from the case. Lacrosse is a sport for everyone of every race, ethnicity, religion, etc. I have played with and against great players from a plethora of backgrounds that share the same love for the game that I do. Many people have this idea about lacrosse because of its origins as an organized sport. Back in the day, it was a sport that would normally only be seen at private prep schools on the east coast. This is a demographic that is predominantly white. It was like this for a long time until lacrosse started moving west and entering very diverse, both racially and ethnically as well as financially, demographic areas. This has been what has helped the game unfold to what it is today. There's no reason to stop there. The beauty of this sport should be available no matter where someone lives and we, as the lacrosse community, should do everything in our power to spread and endorse the sport. It is our duty to the sport as this sport has done so much for so many of us.