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Have you ever thought you’d like to play sport for your county? Your region? Your country? Here’s a tip – play lacrosse! 

There are so few people playing this historic game at the elite levels, so it’s pretty easy to get good very quickly. And, Staffordshire are looking to develop a men’s team in the sport.

But how do you get into it? Especially if you’re living here in Staffordshire?

• Number One. Enrol as a student at one of North Staffordshire’s two universities.
• Number two. Learn the rules. Imagine hockey only with no limits to how high you can swing your stick. Oh, and the stick has a net on the end. 
• Number three. Listen to my interview with Staffordshire Universities club captain Anthony Barraclough. 
• Number four. Buy some deep heat, this game could get physical.

History

Lacrosse was invented by Native North Americans and it can be translated as meaning “little war” in East Cherokee language. 

In 1856, a Canadian dentist revised the sport to make it more manageable, limiting the number of players to 10 on a team and the pitch to 110 yards and can be played inside or outside.

Until about 20 years ago, this ‘modern’ game of lacrosse was only played across the pond, but since then, lacrosse has flourished at international level with many countries picking up the sport. 

Lacrosse is not an Olympic sport, but that doesn’t stop players of both sexes from competing at international level in World Championship and World Cups. The next world cup will be in 2010.

With all this success you’d expect there to be no problem in reintroducing the sport to the Olympics after its’ exit in 1908. However, because the men’s and women’s games have separate international governing bodies, it is harder to include the sport at Olympic level.

Battling for the ball

In Staffs

Closer to home, the sport is very popular in universities, and Staffordshire University has a mixed sex team and a women’s team, and Keele University have a mixed team.

Staffordshire University’s very friendly mixed club captain, Anthony Barraclough gave me a run down of the basics of the game, from A to Z and even I didn’t get confused once!

And, although the game is extremely physical, Anthony has never seen any disastrous injuries; well, that’s if you don’t include a stick in the eye!