lax culture from an insider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is an expensive sport, so not available to everyone.

Please excuse my ignorance, because honestly, my experience with lacrosse is limited to my PE class growing-up. How is lacrosse expensive? I ask this with all sincerity. I understand the points about how lacrosse is mostly limited to who it was made available in school - which apparently is an affluent crowd - lacrosse is not your average inner-city sport like baseball & football, and I understand the nuances as to how this can influence the culture. But, could someone please share how it is expensive? I don't doubt that it is... but from a very cursory look the equipment/gear involved - it doesn't appear to me as an outside observer to cost more than other high school team sports. I could see how yachting, horse racing, golf and other sports are expensive, but what makes lacrosse more expensive than baseball and football? Please help me out with this question. I'm probably missing something obvious.

[Anonymous]

The helmet and equipment are about $400. You need decent equipment for safety reasons, Being on a team outside of school means fees and travel. etc.

[Anonymous]

Club team and travel costs for the tournaments that go along with it, can run into several thousand $. Some high school teams ask for additional funds to cover costs above what they are willing/able to cover.

[Anonymous]

Why do people keep dredging this thread up? Any sport that requires travel is therefore going to be expensive -- equipment or not. Ice hockey is much more expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep dredging this thread up? Any sport that requires travel is therefore going to be expensive -- equipment or not. Ice hockey is much more expensive.

Ok, so your sport is more expensive than mine. Feel better now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The helmet and equipment are about $400. You need decent equipment for safety reasons, Being on a team outside of school means fees and travel. etc.

Ahhh, don't forget those lacrosse sticks. You can spend hundreds on each. And at least by boys treat them like magic wands, thinking it'll elevate their game, always looking to trade up for the faster, lighter, cooler looking. We are a big lax family, but I understand how the perception of exclusivity can quickly become reality because of all the up-front and other expenses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The helmet and equipment are about $400. You need decent equipment for safety reasons, Being on a team outside of school means fees and travel. etc.

Ahhh, don't forget those lacrosse sticks. You can spend hundreds on each. And at least by boys treat them like magic wands, thinking it'll elevate their game, always looking to trade up for the faster, lighter, cooler looking. We are a big lax family, but I understand how the perception of exclusivity can quickly become reality because of all the up-front and other expenses.

I hate when parents say "we are a big lax family" since the kid is on a team. Lax is really a family sport. Parents are very protective of their turf [aka help with status for kid and college admissions sans the harder work required in some sports].

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The helmet and equipment are about $400. You need decent equipment for safety reasons, Being on a team outside of school means fees and travel. etc.

Ahhh, don't forget those lacrosse sticks. You can spend hundreds on each. And at least by boys treat them like magic wands, thinking it'll elevate their game, always looking to trade up for the faster, lighter, cooler looking. We are a big lax family, but I understand how the perception of exclusivity can quickly become reality because of all the up-front and other expenses.

I hate when parents say "we are a big lax family" since the kid is on a team. Lax is really a family sport. Parents are very protective of their turf [aka help with status for kid and college admissions sans the harder work required in some sports].

There are lax leagues for adults too, PP. Besides, if the parents played growing up then its legitimate to say this. ITs more similar to tennis or golf in that respect. You are just nit-picking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The helmet and equipment are about $400. You need decent equipment for safety reasons, Being on a team outside of school means fees and travel. etc.

Ahhh, don't forget those lacrosse sticks. You can spend hundreds on each. And at least by boys treat them like magic wands, thinking it'll elevate their game, always looking to trade up for the faster, lighter, cooler looking. We are a big lax family, but I understand how the perception of exclusivity can quickly become reality because of all the up-front and other expenses.

I hate when parents say "we are a big lax family" since the kid is on a team. Lax is really a family sport. Parents are very protective of their turf [aka help with status for kid and college admissions sans the harder work required in some sports].

There are lax leagues for adults too, PP. Besides, if the parents played growing up then its legitimate to say this. ITs more similar to tennis or golf in that respect. You are just nit-picking.

Activity or sport? I see too many lax family members and bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Sorry but I do not any similarities bet adults playing golf, tennis and lax. Tennis and golf for many is sport as well as social. There is respect for the game and for following rules and improving their game. Playing lax in adulthood is just a bunch of guys trying to relive their glory of hs or college.

[Anonymous]

I have seen poor parent behavior in youth baseball (which gave us the term "Little League parents"); soccer; lacrosse; and basketball. At the high school level I have seen poor parent behavior from parents of athletes who play football, boy's and girl's soccer, field hockey, boy's and girl's basketball, and boy's and girl's lacrosse. Rude sports parents sadly abound in our culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but I do not any similarities bet adults playing golf, tennis and lax. Tennis and golf for many is sport as well as social. There is respect for the game and for following rules and improving their game. Playing lax in adulthood is just a bunch of guys trying to relive their glory of hs or college.

Older men playing in lacrosse leauges, my DH included, aren't playing to relive glory days or make some business connections. They have a burning passion for a sport that gives them enjoyment that outweighs the aches and sprains they have to endure. Those who play any sport beyond the college years have "respect for the game and for following rules". I don't agree with your suggestion that the "old guys" playing lax do not. People are now playing past 50 in leagues with their peers. What is wrong with that? I think it's great that they can continue to pursue somethign they love.

[Anonymous]

Because these are the same guys on the sidelines of their kids games screaming at the coaches that their kids aren't getting enough playing time and encouraging the crazy lacrosse behavior that has led to so many problems.

[Anonymous]

The bashing on this thread is ridiculous. There are tons of nightmare parents involved in lacrosse. There are incidents of bad behavior involving lacrosse kids. These type of parents and incidents are not exclusive to lacrosse. You find them in all sports.

[Anonymous]

The difference is that many of these parents have illusions of their kids playing for a D1 college which in many cases are high level institutions such as Princeton, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins Cornell, Virginia or Duke. All these kids are competing to get to these schools. This is why lacrosse is different than other sports. It adds a high level of anxiety for suburban parent bragging rights.