Young lacrosse team begins season

Are you looking to play or watch a sport widely regarded as the fastest growing in the United States? Look no further than Husky Stadium on a Tuesday or Thursday night.

The sport is not soccer; it is not even football.

That sport is lacrosse-a full contact team sport that pits two teams of players using long sticks to throw a rubber ball into a net.

SCSU men's club lacrosse team will kick off their season next weekend with an exhibition tournament in Madison, Wis. The team will play three games in the 16-team tournament, with the first game scheduled against Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The team will compete this weekend, but is trying to work first and foremost on getting used to playing with each other in competition.

"We have 25 guys on the team, a young team-ten freshmen," said Eric Borer, a senior attacker who served as captain and vice president of the club last season. "This weekend will be used to kind of get used to everyone and getting used to the system that we play."

While many players on the team come to the team with high school or club experience, it is not necessary to have previous lacrosse experience.

Freshman Jack Tierney said he has played lacrosse for seven years with the Minneapolis Public School System. Borer played at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley.

"Anyone is welcome. Some of our best players in past years were people who had never picked up a stick, and they came out and did great things," Borer said.

The team plays against a number of schools that will soon be adding lacrosse to their varsity level sports.

After the tournament, the club will continue to practice twice a week all year long. Borer said they also have some scrimmages set with St. Thomas and the Minneapolis men's clubs.

The real season for the club takes place in spring when they take part in the Upper Midwest Lacrosse League (UMLL), which is an eight-team league with schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa and is a part of the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association that has over 200 teams.

Borer said last year's club went 8-3 in the UMLL, but that the playoffs were canceled.

In addition to the UMLL schedule, the club will travel to Tennessee for a few games during spring break this year.

"We will play Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Illinois State," Borer said.

To join the club, contact Campus Recreation or Eric Borer any time throughout the year.