Lacrosse gets boxed up

Michael Cavros
February 9, 2022

This winter, the NKHS boys lacrosse team is participating in a new winter league called box lacrosse. This league consists of the Buzzards, Bayhawks, and the Barrington lacrosse teams. Players are given a chance to play in a new environment; box lacrosse is played in a hockey rink, and the floor is solid. There are a few other noticeable changes, such as the max stick size of three feet, legal wall slamming, and the extremely bouncy floor, making it more of a running game than normal.
Extra protection is also recommended, including larger chest, shoulder, and rib pads. These pads help against crushed organs and broken bones as bodies slam against the solid walls and floors. Box lacrosse is indoors, much more physical, and you need rib and shoulder pads for added protection. “The court is small and the ground is hard, making the ball bounce like crazy,” said sophomore Aidan Mahoney.
The newer protocols are making things difficult for some players, helping them learn something new, especially defense player Jameson Russel, who said, “Using a shorter pole has been a struggle for me, but this improves my passing and stick handling skills.”
Even though there are new rules, students are still finding the positive aspects of playing. When questioned about his reasons for joining the team, Russel said, “I decided to participate because it would build my endurance and skills during the off season.”
Currently, the league is several weeks into the season, and the outlook is mostly positive. “My experience with the sport of box lacrosse has been pretty rough, but fun so far. We lost our first game 4-5 in the last second of the game, yeah the last second. I got decked a few times, but I actually love the sport so far. It is an interesting new look at lacrosse,” says Mahoney.Although box lacrosse is a lot different than regular lacrosse, the NK lacrosse team has been led by the senior team captains, while Coach Jefff Wadovick has been absent. This is one of the first ever Student lead teams in the History of NKHS lacrosse, which is sure to lead to an interesting outcome.While the team might not have won all of their games, they have definitely earned some hard won skills, and will be ready for the next week.