[pull_quote_right]Native Americans, like those of the Six Nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga and Tuscarora), were forced to take to box lacrosse in the 1920’s and 30’s when political forces driven by racial overtones banned them from field lacrosse because they were too good at the game they invented some 800 years ago.[/pull_quote_right]Play runs through Aug 9
by Loveland Lacrosse,
Symmes Township, Oh. – Driving on Union Cemetery Road, in Symmes Township, it’s hard to miss the large white structure circled with hockey nets neatly nestled on what is known as Royal Field. During most of the warm weather months it lays quite, home to simple pick-up lacrosse games by local lax rats who ride bikes over to play, or perhaps a quick game of catch between a mom or dad with their lacrosse playing son or daughter. But come July and August, the Outdoor Box Lacrosse Arena in Symmes Township springs to life as the center of outdoor box lacrosse action in the Midwest.
“This is our 10th season of summer outdoor box lacrosse here in Loveland and Symmes Township,” said Mike Cotsonas, who manages and acts as director for the summer league. “We are the only outdoor box lacrosse league outside of the East Coast and Canada, and the oldest box league in the Midwest. When we first started, we played in two open fields, with box lacrosse rules, 4×4 box lacrosse goals and box lacrosse goalies. The only thing we didn’t have was an actual box.”
The box arena was finally erected in 2013, and can be most accurately described as an outdoor hockey rink. In fact, the structure once served as a local hockey rink in Minnesota before gaining a new lease on life here in Symmes Township. It’s the same size as a regulation NHL rink, but with a grass surface.
If you’ve never seen it, box lacrosse is a hybrid version of field lacrosse. It’s played with 5 runners and a goalie, similar to hockey, and with many of the same offensive and defensive strategies as seen on the ice. The constant up-and-down action, hard hits and off-puck physicality seen in hockey shows up in box lacrosse, which helps drive it’s growing popularity. The box game was made popular many years ago in the hockey rich environment of Canada, as well as by Native Americans of Canada, Western and Upstate New York. At the start of the last century, Canadians took a hybrid version of field lacrosse inside as a way to utilize their dormant hockey rinks in the summer. Native Americans, like those of the Six Nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga and Tuscarora), were forced to take to box lacrosse in the 1920’s and 30’s when political forces driven by racial overtones banned them from field lacrosse because they were too good at the game they invented some 800 years ago. Unfair claims that they were paid professionals were leveled and they were ruled ineligible for amateur play. Today, the vast majority of the top professional box lacrosse players are either Canadian or Native American. But now, American players are coming on strong.
“In the last 10 or 15 years, the American college and high school coaches have finally understood the skill set box lacrosse players bring to the field game puts those players at a competitive advantage,” said Cotsonas. “Box players shoot on smaller goals with heavily padded goalies, have to catch passes in tight confines, and play a faster transition game than field lacrosse. For an experienced box player moving to field, it’s like being a kid in a candy store. The 6×6 goals are gigantic compared to box lacrosse, and there’s much more room to move. American lacrosse players are finally catching on to box and getting more involved because it builds their skills. ”
Growing up outside of Syracuse with many Native teammates, Cotsonas was well aware East Coast youth and high school players have long been involved in summer box lacrosse leagues. He noted while there is still only one summer box lacrosse league in Southern Ohio, more have sprung up in other parts of the Midwest, run mostly in the winter months and therefore indoors. But the demand is growing.
“Over the last 10 years, we grew the local summer box experience slowly but surely with about 145 youth kids signed up that first year. And it’s never really slowed, even with the advent of all the summer travel lacrosse teams,“ said Cotsonas. “Over the years we’ve slowly added HS leagues, and now that those players are out of high school and in college, it was time to launch the Men’s Elite league. Overall, we are up to 20-plus teams now, with over 250 participants every summer.”
[pull_quote_left]The roughest but most fun lacrosse they’ve ever played. It’s a lot more physical than many of these guys see at even the Division I college level.[/pull_quote_left]Men’s Elite League Comes into its Own
Come July and August Sundays afternoons and evenings, you will find the Outdoor Box Lacrosse Arena bustling with youth through high school box lacrosse games, with close to 200 young players from all over Southern Ohio, Dayton and Northern Kentucky trekking to Symmes Township to play. Mid-week though, the adults take over the box as the Men’s Elite league plays in what many participants describe as the roughest but most fun lacrosse they’ve ever played.
“I think across the board, if you talk to any of the guys in the league they will all say how much fun it is, which is why I wanted to replicate what is back on the Onondaga Nation, in LaFayette, Shove Park, Syracuse, legendary box lacrosse places like that,” Cotsonas noted. “We are lucky as a league as we’ve got really good box referees and really good box goalies. It’s definitely big boy lacrosse. Not as rough as you’ll see in the pro box leagues, but because we play box rules with box refs, it’s a lot more physical than many of these guys see at even the Division I college level.” Despite fierce competition in the box, Cotsonas went on to stress what goes on in the box stays in the box. “We are all friends after the game. But during the game, the intensity really steps up, which makes it fun for them, because they know they will have to go hard and fast if they want to win. And many of these guys have played at a very high level – they want to win.”
Other locals are quick to chime in on the men’s league talent level. Mike Riggall is a former DIII college goalie who runs a team filled with former Moeller and Mason stars. His team is sponsored by Traditional Lacrosse, which makes traditional box sticks on the Akwesasne reservation in Canada.
“Talent level is without a doubt, some of the highest in the Midwest. Teams in the league have current or former college guys from Albany, Hopkins, Delaware, Hofstra, Michigan, UNC, Michigan, programs like that,” said Riggall. “In fact, one of my players from these last two seasons, Matt Bertrams, just graduated from Albany and got picked up by the Ohio Machine and is now playing pro lacrosse.”
Cotsonas is quick to agree on Riggall’s comments about the level of talent. [pull_quote_right]On any one night you’ll see a bunch of former high school or college All-Americans out there, local or national players of the year, sometimes former pro players.[/pull_quote_right]
“On any one night you’ll see a bunch of former high school or college All-Americans out there, local or national players of the year, sometimes former pro players. And it’s not just one team, it’s across all the teams. Loveland, St X, Moeller, UC, Cincy Men’s, there’s 8 teams in the league and every team has good guys out there. It’s definitely fun for folks to watch as these guys go a million miles an hour. And if you think its fun to watch from the stands, the guys will tell you it’s even more fun to be out there just a few feet away watching some guy do something spectacular.”
Youth through high school leagues are sponsored by the Loveland Box Lacrosse League with support from Symmes Township. Play opens up July 12 and runs through Aug 9. The Men’s Elite league is sponsored by Laxland Sporting Goods and MadTree Brewery. The Men’s Elite season will once again open up with the traditional rematch of last year’s championship game. 2-time league champion Loveland Alumni takes on Traditional Lacrosse at 6:30. Royal Field 9805 Union Cemetery Rd, Symmes Township. Go to lovelandlax.net for more information.
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