Jim Brown is best known for his record-setting, nine-year career as a fullback for the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns from 1957–1965. Some football enthusiasts crown Brown the greatest to ever play the game of American football.
Although he was a beast on the football field, it’s a little-known fact that the sport that truly holds Brown’s heart is the game of lacrosse.
“Those of us who play the game love it,” Brown said. “I had a great experience. Jason Stranahan was a coach and he recruited us as boys. He gave us a stick and taught us the game. So I started in junior high. I went on to high school and got really interested.”
Brown went on to play lacrosse at Syracuse University and had an undefeated senior year (10–0) in 1957. Brown is considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.
Another little-known fact: lacrosse is on the rise.
“In the last 15 years, participation in the sport has increased more than 200 percent. We’re tracking about 700 players on organized teams as of last year,” said Ann Kitt Carpenetti, vice president of lacrosse operations for US Lacrosse. “It’s growing rapidly at the Division I women’s lacrosse level. It’s also growing at the youth level and, for a few years, the high school level.”
Carpenetti said lacrosse is growing in popularity because the game is fast-paced, exciting, “a thinking game,” and has a unique tradition associated with the game. According to US Lacrosse, a governing and membership lacrosse organization, lacrosse was one of many varieties of indigenous stickball games played by American Indians at the time of European contact.
Modern lacrosse is a combination of basketball, football, soccer and hockey. The rules of lacrosse differ between boys, girls, men and women, but in basic terms, players pass the ball using a stick that has a net on the end. The objective is to insert the ball into the goal for one point.
“In boy’s lacrosse, you can use physical contact, like in hockey. Girl’s lacrosse is a bit different — it’s more traditional,” said Timothy Clark, the head boy’s lacrosse coach at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School.
There are also multiple variations of lacrosse such as indoor lacrosse and beach lacrosse.
Clark said another reason the springtime sport is growing in popularity is because it’s another option for students.
“With all of the health issues with sports specialization and concussions happening in football, a lot of parents just want their child to be safe. We have our injuries too, but it’s not like other sports,” said Clark.
In lacrosse, size doesn’t matter — it’s about athleticism and strategy. You can also pick up the sport late in life and excel, unlike other sports that require years of experience to be great.
A local collegiate leader in basketball, Butler University recently added women’s lacrosse as its 20th varsity sport.
“We’ve had a club team on our campus for a number of years. We decided with the growth of lacrosse nationally and regionally, it was a good time to add a sport that could put us in a spot to serve that interest,” said Molly Sullivan, associate athletic director for administration at Butler University.
Sullivan said the university is currently searching for a lacrosse coach and staff and recruiting serious, qualified players. Because Butler is considered a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I school, the commitment is significant for players.
The Butler team will begin play during the 2016–17 academic year.
Players say lacrosse is so enjoyable, a lasting fondness for the game develops. Both Carpenetti and Clark continued playing, coaching and/or advocating for lacrosse well after competing at the collegiate level. Clark even hosts local clinics and camps for minority youth in order to expose them to lacrosse. He’s currently working with Tab Recreation to add lacrosse to their list of youth athletic programs.
“We are looked upon as a white, upper-, middle-class sport. That’s ironic based on where it’s come from,” said Carpenetti. “We know what this game can do for communities and are working to change that perception. We offer grants to existing programs and work to eliminate barriers such as playing field space.”
Clark encourages African-Americans to think of athletics beyond football and basketball and consider lacrosse as a viable option.
For more information on lacrosse, call US Lacrosse at (410) 235-6882 or visit USLacrosse.org.
