What is Lacrosse?
Present day, Lacrosse is more than a sport and a game of physical endurance. It's "The Medicine Game" which has a very unique and sacred history that's deep and intrinsic to its beginnings. Although this passage professes that lacrosse has healing qualities, it is often ignored as being outdated or irrelevant to our current time period. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Lacrosse is a gift from the creator, a ‘medicine’ used to drive away sickness and create positive energy. It is a sport that teaches athletes the value of community and teamwork, of working together for the greater good. Lacrosse and sport’s in general, provides youth an opportunity to release tension and stress and replace negative energy with the positive benefits of participating in a team sport that has such an important place in Indigenous culture.
Many communities have a much deeper connection with the game of lacrosse and are aware of its deep cultural importance. In this sense, lacrosse is a unique game and its depth and breadth go beyond simply competing. One of the most renowned qualities of the game of lacrosse is its healing qualities. Lacrosse in this way has become an outlet of expression. It's played because it’s fun, and in doing so, players learn unique aspects about themselves that may not be learned elsewhere.
Lacrosse is a medicine game because in many ways, it heals us. Our mind, body and spirit are nourished when we run, throw, and play. Our lives are enriched when we form bonds with our team, coach, friends and community through The Medicine Game.
Professional Lacrosse Leagues
One of the fastest-growing sports, the National Lacrosse League is the third most popular professional indoor sport behind the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League. The NLL has 14 teams, stretching from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the east to San Diego in the west. The league — known as a box league because it plays indoors — averaged 8,035 fans per game during the 2019 season. Unlike other box leagues, the National Lacrosse League is a winter-spring sport, while others prefer to play during summer.
While there were two professional outdoor leagues at one time, the Major Lacrosse League and Premier Lacrosse League merged, with the new organization known as the Premier Lacrosse League. While the MLL was city-based, the eight-team Premier Lacrosse League will perform as a traveling organization, staging a series of exhibitions across North America, playing 43 games over 11 weekends from June to September.